streptomycin

noun

strep·​to·​my·​cin ˌstrep-tə-ˈmī-sᵊn How to pronounce streptomycin (audio)
: an antibiotic organic base C21H39N7O12 that is produced by a soil actinomycete (Streptomyces griseus), is active against many bacteria, and is used especially in the treatment of infections (such as tuberculosis) by gram-negative bacteria

Examples of streptomycin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The discovery of streptomycin in 1943, the first antibiotic effective against TB, coupled with later antibiotics, nearly eradicated the disease. Christian Millman, Discover Magazine, 6 June 2018 Plombage therapy was eventually abandoned following the discovery of the antibiotic streptomycin in 1945, and then by isoniazid, an antibiotic that is now a pillar of tuberculosis therapy. Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 1 May 2015 For a few months, before production could scale up, Hinshaw’s San Francisco laboratory held the world’s entire supply of streptomycin, and pleas for the miracle drug poured in from the afflicted from Siberia to Tierra del Fuego. Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2022 And streptomycin, developed in 1943, stopped TB cold in most patients. Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2022 Life-threatening infection led to the removal of a kidney and his treatment with what was then an experimental antibiotic, streptomycin, initially used to treat tuberculosis. Washington Post, 5 Dec. 2021 Laboratory testing found that 20 of these cases were resistant to common antibiotics such as chloramphenicol, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline. Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 25 Aug. 2021 Most of our antibiotic medicines were discovered in such bacteria; streptomycin, for example, unsurprisingly hails from Streptomyces. Jennifer Frazer, Scientific American, 21 Nov. 2020 The standard treatment for brucellosis is antibiotics—usually a combination of doxycycline and streptomycin taken over a period of about six weeks, says NORD. Claire Gillespie, Health.com, 18 Sep. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'streptomycin.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of streptomycin was in 1944

Dictionary Entries Near streptomycin

Cite this Entry

“Streptomycin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/streptomycin. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

streptomycin

noun
strep·​to·​my·​cin ˌstrep-tə-ˈmīs-ᵊn How to pronounce streptomycin (audio)
: an antibiotic produced by a soil streptomyces and used especially in the treatment of some infections (as tuberculosis) caused by bacteria

Medical Definition

streptomycin

noun
strep·​to·​my·​cin -ˈmīs-ᵊn How to pronounce streptomycin (audio)
: an antibiotic organic base C21H39N7O12 that is produced by a soil actinomycete of the genus Streptomyces (S. griseus), is active against bacteria, and is used especially in the treatment of infections (as tuberculosis) by gram-negative bacteria

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