Definition

A type of antibiotic that is effective against a wide range of bacteria and is related to penicillin, originally obtained from a specific fungus.

Example

The doctor prescribed a cephalosporin to treat the bacterial infection.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of cephalosporin before?

Yeah, I think it's an antibiotic, right?

Exactly! It's used for treating various infections.

Sounds interesting, I should read more about it.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Cephalosporin is formed from 'cephalo-' (from Greek 'kephalē', meaning head) and 'sporin' (from Greek 'spora', meaning seed or spore). The term refers to a class of antibiotics derived from a fungus that has a head-like structure in its chemical composition, resembling the structure of a spore.

Memory Tip

Think of 'cephalo-' meaning 'head' and 'sporin' relating to 'seed' — this helps you remember that cephalosporins are antibiotics derived from a fungus that has a head-like structure.

Visually Confused Words