sulphanilamide: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low frequency (specialist/technical)Technical, medical, historical, pharmaceutical
Quick answer
What does “sulphanilamide” mean?
A white crystalline organic compound used as a broad-spectrum antibacterial drug.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A white crystalline organic compound used as a broad-spectrum antibacterial drug.
A synthetic sulfonamide drug derived from aniline, historically important as the first effective antibiotic against bacterial infections like streptococcal sepsis, before the widespread use of penicillin.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Traditionally, 'sulphanilamide' (with 'ph') was the British spelling, while 'sulfanilamide' (with 'f') was American. In modern technical usage, the 'f' spelling is becoming standard internationally, including in the UK.
Connotations
Both spellings denote the same compound. The 'ph' spelling may carry a slightly more historical or traditional British pharmaceutical connotation.
Frequency
The term is low-frequency in both dialects. The 'f' spelling is now more frequent globally in scientific literature.
Grammar
How to Use “sulphanilamide” in a Sentence
The patient was treated with ~.The chemical structure of ~ was determined.~ proved effective against streptococci.Research focused on derivatives of ~.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sulphanilamide” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The sulphanilamide treatment was revolutionary.
- They studied the sulphanilamide derivatives.
American English
- The sulfanilamide treatment was revolutionary.
- They studied the sulfanilamide derivatives.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Extremely rare. Might appear in historical analyses of the pharmaceutical industry.
Academic
Used in history of medicine, pharmacology, and organic chemistry texts discussing early antibiotics.
Everyday
Virtually never used in everyday conversation.
Technical
Standard term in pharmaceutical history, medicinal chemistry, and microbiology when discussing the development of sulfa drugs.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “sulphanilamide”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “sulphanilamide”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sulphanilamide”
- Misspelling as 'sulphinilamide' or 'sulpanilamide'.
- Using it as a generic term for all antibiotics (it is a specific compound).
- Pronouncing the 'ph' as /f/ in isolation rather than as part of the /lf/ cluster.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Rarely. It has been largely superseded by newer, more effective, and less toxic antibiotics. It remains of historical and educational importance.
They are completely different chemical compounds from different classes. Sulphanilamide is a synthetic sulfonamide, while penicillin is a natural antibiotic derived from fungus. Penicillin generally proved more effective with fewer side effects.
'Sulphanilamide' uses the traditional British English 'ph' spelling for the /f/ sound (like in 'sulphur'), while 'sulfanilamide' uses the modern American and international scientific 'f' spelling. The 'f' spelling is now standard in chemistry.
It is the prototypical member of the sulfonamide (sulfa drug) class of antibiotics, which work by inhibiting bacterial folate synthesis.
A white crystalline organic compound used as a broad-spectrum antibacterial drug.
Sulphanilamide is usually technical, medical, historical, pharmaceutical in register.
Sulphanilamide: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsʌlfəˈnɪləmʌɪd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌsʌlfəˈnɪləˌmaɪd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: SULFAnilamide FIGHTS Ailments. 'Sulfa' hints at its drug class, and 'anilamide' relates to its aniline-derived structure.
Conceptual Metaphor
PIONEER/WARRIOR (as one of the first chemical 'warriors' against bacterial infection).
Practice
Quiz
What is sulphanilamide?