tetracycline

[ te-truh-sahy-kleen, -klin ]

noun

, Pharmacology.

1. an antibiotic, C 22 H 24 H 2 O 8 , derived from chlortetracycline, used in medicine to treat a broad variety of infections.

tetracycline

/ -klɪn; ˌtɛtrəˈsaɪklaɪn /

noun

1. an antibiotic synthesized from chlortetracycline or derived from the bacterium Streptomyces viridifaciens: used in treating rickettsial infections and various bacterial infections. Formula: C 22 H 24 N 2 O 8

tetracycline

/ tĕt′rə-sī′klēn′,-klĭn /

1. A yellow crystalline compound, C 22 H 24 N 2 O 8 , synthesized or derived from several bacterial species of the genus Streptomyces and used as an antibiotic in bacterial infections. Other drugs of the tetracycline class have a similar chemical structure.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tetracycline¹

First recorded in 1950–55; tetra- + cycl- + -ine ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of tetracycline¹

C20: from tetra- + cycl ( ic ) + -ine ²

Example Sentences

Interestingly, the researchers found some of the samples were resistant to the antibiotic tetracycline and did not carry antibiotic resistance genes typically seen in today's antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains.

From Science Daily

If the patient needs more therapeutic protein, then he/she would take more tetracycline to boost production.

From Science Daily

The first is a phototoxic reaction, often seen with certain antibiotics such as tetracycline.

From New York Times

In France, where some of the studies were conducted, about 65 percent of infections are resistant to tetracyclines, a class of antibiotics that includes doxycycline.

From New York Times

Doxycycline, a relative of the antibiotic tetracycline, has been around for more than 45 years and is commonly used to treat and prevent acne and Lyme disease.

From Science Magazine

Related Words

• penicillin