Definition

A type of antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections, especially tuberculosis.

Example

The doctor prescribed rifampicin to help treat the patient's tuberculosis.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of rifampicin?

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

Exactly! It's used to treat certain infections.

I read that it's really effective against tuberculosis.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Rifampicin is derived from the word "rifamycin" (a class of antibiotics) and the suffix "-cin" (indicating a substance). The term "rifamycin" itself comes from the bacterium *Amycolatopsis rifamycinica*, which produces the antibiotic. Thus, rifampicin refers to a substance derived from rifamycin, specifically used as an antibiotic.

Memory Tip

Think of 'rifamycin' as the source of this antibiotic, and remember that 'rifampicin' is a substance derived from it.

Visually Confused Words