Definition

A type of antibiotic that comes from a soil bacterium and is used to treat infections caused by certain harmful bacteria.

Example

The doctor prescribed polymyxin to treat the patient's severe infection.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of polymyxin?

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

Exactly! It's used to treat infections caused by gram-negative bacteria.

That's interesting! I wonder how effective it really is.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Polymyxin → It is formed from "poly-" (from Greek "polus", meaning many) and "myxin" (from Greek "myxa", meaning mucus or slime). The word refers to a substance that is derived from many types of bacteria that produce a slimy or mucous-like substance.

Memory Tip

Think of 'many' ('poly-') types of bacteria that produce a 'slimy' substance ('myxin') — that's why polymyxin refers to a group of antibiotics derived from such bacteria.

Visually Confused Words