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methicillin
noun
meth·i·cil·lin
ˌme-thə-ˈsi-lən
: a semisynthetic penicillin C17H19N2O6NaS used especially in the form of its sodium salt against beta-lactamase-producing staphylococci
Examples of methicillin in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For this combination – the antibiotic methicillin and the bacteria S. aureus – the number of attributable deaths nearly doubled from 57,200 in 1990 to 130,000 in 2021.
—Jacqueline Howard, CNN, 16 Sep. 2024
About 40% of those S. aureus infections were the difficult-to-treat kind: methicillin-resistant S. aureus, also known as MRSA.
—Isabella Cueto, STAT, 6 Feb. 2023
Microban 24 is a sanitizing spray that, according to the brand’s website, provides 24-hour protection against Staphylococcus aureus—a microbial villain that comes in several varieties, including the methicillin-resistant type known as MRSA, any of which can cause a serious staph infection.
—Heather Mayer Irvine, Popular Mechanics, 20 Sep. 2021
Roughly 40% of the infections were resistant to treatment with the antibiotic methicillin, the report found.
—Fox News, 7 Feb. 2023
Some of the most dangerous superbugs include methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Clostridioides difficile, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the causative agent of gonorrhea.
—Bill Sullivan, Discover Magazine, 3 Nov. 2021
Young and otherwise healthy people can get a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, infection on their skin.
—BostonGlobe.com, 14 July 2022
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Word History
Etymology
meth- + penicillin
First Known Use
1961, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near methicillin
Cite this Entry
“Methicillin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/methicillin. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
methicillin
noun
meth·i·cil·lin
ˌmeth-ə-ˈsil-ən
: a form of penicillin used especially against certain forms of staphylococcus bacteria
Medical Definition
methicillin
noun
meth·i·cil·lin
ˌmeth-ə-ˈsil-ən
: a semisynthetic penicillin C17H19N2O6NaS that is especially effective against beta-lactamase producing staphylococci
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