Definition

A type of antibiotic that is used to treat infections caused by certain bacteria, especially those that are resistant to penicillin.

Example

The doctor prescribed lincomycin to treat the patient's infection.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of lincomycin?

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

Exactly! It's used for infections that are resistant to penicillin.

That's interesting! I didn’t know there were alternatives like that.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Lincomycin is derived from 'lincomycin' (from the Latin 'lincomycinum'), which is a combination of 'lin-' (from 'linseed', referring to the source of the antibiotic) and '-mycin' (a suffix used in the names of antibiotics derived from microorganisms). The word refers to an antibiotic derived from linseed and produced by a specific bacterium.

Memory Tip

Think of 'lin-' as relating to linseed, which is the source of this antibiotic, and '-mycin' as indicating it is an antibiotic. This helps you remember that lincomycin is an antibiotic derived from linseed.

Visually Confused Words