Definition

A type of antibiotic made by a specific soil bacterium, used to fight infections caused by certain bacteria that have a thick cell wall.

Example

Gramicidin is often used in topical ointments to treat skin infections.

Conversation

Have you heard about gramicidin?

Yeah, I read it's used to treat certain infections.

It's interesting how something from a soil bacterium can be so effective.

Absolutely, nature has some amazing solutions for health!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Gramicidin is formed from 'grami-' (from Greek 'gramma', meaning letter or something written) and '-cidin' (from Latin 'caedere', meaning to kill). The word refers to a substance that kills bacteria, particularly in the context of antibiotics, hence the combination of the roots suggests a 'letter' or 'written' aspect related to its function of killing bacteria.

Memory Tip

Think of 'gramma' as relating to something written, and 'caedere' as to kill — this helps you remember that gramicidin is a substance that kills bacteria.

Visually Confused Words