Gentamicin

/ˌdʒɛntəˈmaɪsɪn/ noun

Definition

A powerful antibiotic medication used to treat serious bacterial infections, especially those caused by gram-negative bacteria.

Etymology

Derived from 'Gentamyces,' a bacterium from which it was originally isolated, combined with the chemical suffix '-in.' The drug was discovered in 1963 and named after its source organism.

Kelly Says

Gentamicin is one of the most important antibiotics for treating life-threatening infections, but it can damage your kidneys and ears, so doctors have to carefully monitor patients taking it and test them frequently!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.