Definition

A type of antibiotic that is used to treat infections, especially tuberculosis, by stopping bacteria from making RNA.

Example

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

Conversation

Have you ever heard of rifampin?

Yeah, isn't it an antibiotic used for tuberculosis?

Exactly! I read that it can also help with meningococci infections.

That's interesting! I didn't know it had multiple uses.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Rifampin is derived from the word 'rifamycin' (a class of antibiotics) and the suffix '-in' (commonly used in chemistry to denote substances). The term 'rifamycin' itself comes from the bacterium *Amycolatopsis rifamycinica*, which produces the antibiotic. Thus, rifampin refers to a substance derived from rifamycin, specifically used to treat bacterial infections.

Memory Tip

Think of 'rifamycin' as the source of rifampin, which is a substance derived from it, used to fight infections.

Visually Confused Words