cephalosporin

ceph·a·lo·spo·rin  (sf--l-spôrn, -spr-)

n.

Any of various broad-spectrum antibiotics, closely related to the penicillins, that were originally derived from the fungus Cephalosporium acremonium.

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[New Latin Cephalosporium, genus name (cephalo- + spora, spore; see spore) + -in.]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

cephalosporin - one of several broad spectrum antibiotic substances obtained from fungi and related to penicillin (trade names Mefoxin); addition of side chains has produced semisynthetic antibiotics with greater antibacterial activity Mefoxin antibiotic, antibiotic drug - a chemical substance derivable from a mold or bacterium that can kill microorganisms and cure bacterial infections; "when antibiotics were first discovered they were called wonder drugs" cefadroxil, Ultracef - a cephalosporin antibiotic (trade name Ultracef) Cefobid, cefoperazone - a parenteral cephalosporin (trade name Cefobid) used for severe infections cefotaxime, Claforan - a parenteral cephalosporin (trade name Claforan) used for severe infections of the lungs or throat or ears or urinary tract ceftazidime, Fortaz, Tazicef - a parenteral cephalosporin (trade names Fortaz and Tazicef) used to treat moderate infections ceftriaxone, Rocephin - a parenteral cephalosporin (trade name Rocephin) used for severe infection of the lungs or throat or ears or urinary tract Ceftin, cefuroxime, Zinacef - a cephalosporin that can be given parenterally (trade name Zinacef) or orally by tablets (trade name Ceftin); indicated for infections of the lungs or throat or ears or urinary tract or meninges cephalexin, Keflex, Keflin, Keftab - an oral cephalosporin (trade names Keflex and Keflin and Keftab) commonly prescribe for mild to moderately severe infections of the skin or ears or throat or lungs or urinary tract cephalothin - a semisynthetic analogue of cephalosporin