antibiotics
n. countablen. a type of medicine used to kill bacteria or stop them from growing. You take these to cure infections caused by germs, but they do not work against viruses like the cold or flu.
n. a substance, such as penicillin or its derivatives, that inhibits the growth of or destroys microorganisms. Effective specifically against bacterial infections; ineffective against viral pathogens.
The doctor gave me antibiotics for my ear infection.
You must finish the entire course of antibiotics even if you start feeling better after two days.
The overprescription of broad-spectrum antibiotics in livestock and human medicine has accelerated the evolution of resistant bacterial strains, posing a significant challenge to global public health.
Usually used in the plural form when referring to the medicine generally; the singular form refers to a specific type of drug.
antibiotics for the fluantibiotics for a bacterial infectionLearners often mistakenly believe antibiotics treat viral illnesses like the flu or common cold.