| The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. 2002. |
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| antibiotic |
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| (an-ti-beye-OT-ik, an-teye-beye-OT-ik, an-ti-bee-OT-ik) A substance that destroys or inhibits the growth of microorganisms and is therefore used to treat some infections. One of the most familiar antibiotics is penicillin. | 1 |
| ‡ Microorganisms that are initially treatable with antibiotics may evolve resistance as the more susceptible members of the population are killed off. (See resistance to antibiotics.) | 2 |
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| | | The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. Edited by E.D. Hirsch, Jr., Joseph F. Kett, and James Trefil. Copyright © 2002 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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