gentamicin: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical/Medical
Quick answer
What does “gentamicin” mean?
A potent antibiotic medication of the aminoglycoside class, effective against a wide range of bacterial infections.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A potent antibiotic medication of the aminoglycoside class, effective against a wide range of bacterial infections.
A specific chemical compound (C21H43N5O7) produced by the bacterium *Micromonospora purpurea*, used clinically to treat serious infections, particularly those caused by Gram-negative bacteria. It can also refer to the sulfate salt form used in pharmaceutical preparations.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. The spelling is identical. In UK medical contexts, it may be referred to in clinical guidelines with slight variations in recommended dosing protocols compared to US guidelines.
Connotations
Identical connotations of a powerful, potentially toxic antibiotic reserved for serious infections.
Frequency
Equally low frequency in general language, but standard and common within the professional medical and pharmaceutical lexicons of both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “gentamicin” in a Sentence
N is treated with gentamicinThe doctor prescribed gentamicin for NN developed resistance to gentamicinN is sensitive to gentamicinVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “gentamicin” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The regimen involves gentamicining the patient twice daily. (Extremely rare, non-standard)
American English
- The wound was gentamicin-coated. (Rare, adjectival use of the noun)
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverbial form exists)
American English
- (No standard adverbial form exists)
adjective
British English
- The gentamicin-impregnated cement spacer was inserted. (Compound adjective)
American English
- A gentamicin-resistant strain emerged. (Compound adjective)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in pharmaceutical company reports or investment analyses.
Academic
Common in medical, pharmacological, and microbiology research papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Virtually never used by non-professionals.
Technical
Standard term in clinical medicine, hospital pharmacy, microbiology lab reports, and veterinary medicine.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “gentamicin”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “gentamicin”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “gentamicin”
- Misspelling as 'gentamycin' (the correct INN is 'gentamicin').
- Using it as a countable noun (e.g., 'a gentamicin' is incorrect).
- Pronouncing the 'g' as in 'go' instead of /dʒ/ as in 'judge'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Gentamicin is used for serious infections caused by susceptible strains of Gram-negative bacteria (e.g., *E. coli*, *Pseudomonas*, *Klebsiella*) and some Gram-positive bacteria. It is often used for sepsis, urinary tract infections, respiratory infections, and wound infections.
Because it has a narrow therapeutic index. It can cause serious side effects, primarily kidney damage (nephrotoxicity) and permanent hearing loss or balance problems (ototoxicity), especially if blood levels become too high.
No, it is very poorly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. It is administered by injection (intravenous or intramuscular) or applied topically (e.g., in eye/ear drops or ointments for skin infections).
Yes, it remains a critically important antibiotic, especially in hospital settings. However, its usefulness is threatened by the spread of bacterial resistance mechanisms, such as aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes.
A potent antibiotic medication of the aminoglycoside class, effective against a wide range of bacterial infections.
Gentamicin is usually technical/medical in register.
Gentamicin: in British English it is pronounced /ˌdʒɛntəˈmʌɪsɪn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌdʒɛntəˈmaɪsən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “"As a last resort, they had to use gentamicin." (Implies a powerful but risky option)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'GENTLE-man with MYcin' – but it's not gentle; it's a strong 'mycin' antibiotic (like streptomycin).
Conceptual Metaphor
A 'heavy artillery' or 'last-line defender' against bacterial invasion.
Practice
Quiz
Gentamicin primarily belongs to which class of antibiotics?