chloramphenicol: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Technical / Medical
Quick answer
What does “chloramphenicol” mean?
An antibiotic drug used to treat serious bacterial infections.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An antibiotic drug used to treat serious bacterial infections.
A broad-spectrum antibiotic derived from Streptomyces venezuelae, effective against a wide range of bacteria including those causing typhoid fever, meningitis, and eye infections. Its use is now largely restricted due to potential serious side effects, particularly bone marrow toxicity.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling and pronunciation are identical. Both regions restrict its use to hospital settings for specific, serious infections.
Connotations
In both varieties, the word connotes a potent, last-resort antibiotic due to its association with serious side effects like aplastic anaemia.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general language. Slightly more likely to be encountered in UK medical texts due to historical use, but overall usage has declined sharply in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “chloramphenicol” in a Sentence
The doctor prescribed chloramphenicol for the resistant infection.Chloramphenicol is used to treat [infection].Treatment with chloramphenicol carries a risk of [side effect].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “chloramphenicol” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The isolate was chloramphenicol-resistant.
- They decided to chloramphenicol-treat the sample in the lab.
American English
- The culture was chloramphenicol-sensitive.
- The protocol involves chloramphenicol-ammended media.
adjective
British English
- The chloramphenicol eye drops must be used exactly as prescribed.
- We observed chloramphenicol resistance in the samples.
American English
- The chloramphenicol ointment is for external use only.
- A chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene was identified.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in pharmaceutical industry reports regarding antibiotic production, resistance, or market restrictions.
Academic
Central in medical, pharmacology, and microbiology journals and textbooks discussing antibiotic classes, mechanisms of action, and adverse drug reactions.
Everyday
Virtually never used. A patient might encounter it on a specialist prescription or in a hospital discharge summary.
Technical
The primary context. Used in clinical notes, pharmacological databases, and microbiological sensitivity testing (e.g., 'the isolate was sensitive to chloramphenicol').
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “chloramphenicol”
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “chloramphenicol”
- Misspelling: 'chloramphenical', 'chloramphenacol'.
- Mispronunciation: stressing the second syllable (/klɔːˈræmfənɪkɒl/) instead of the third.
- Using it as a general term for any antibiotic.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a broad-spectrum antibiotic used to treat serious bacterial infections like typhoid fever, meningitis, and certain eye infections, typically when other antibiotics are ineffective or contraindicated.
Its use is severely restricted due to a rare but serious side effect: dose-independent bone marrow toxicity (aplastic anaemia), which can be fatal. Safer alternatives are almost always preferred.
In most countries, systemic chloramphenicol (pills, injections) is prescription-only and tightly controlled. In some places (like the UK), low-strength chloramphenicol eye drops or ointment for minor eye infections may be available from a pharmacist without a prescription.
It works by inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis. It binds to the 50S subunit of the bacterial ribosome, preventing the formation of peptide bonds between amino acids, which stops the bacteria from growing and multiplying.
An antibiotic drug used to treat serious bacterial infections.
Chloramphenicol is usually technical / medical in register.
Chloramphenicol: in British English it is pronounced /ˌklɔːræmˈfenɪkɒl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌklɔːræmˈfɛnɪkɔːl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: CHLORe + AMber + PHENix + NIC(O) + COL(a). A CHLORe-like (chlorine) AMber-coloured drug that can rise like a PHENix from the ashes of infection, but be NICe and cautious because it can cause trouble with your blood COLumn (bone marrow).
Conceptual Metaphor
A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD / A LAST LINE OF DEFENCE. It is conceptualised as a powerful weapon against bacteria but one that can also harm the user, reserved for when other defences have failed.
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'chloramphenicol' primarily used?