-bactam

/ˈbæk.tæm/

suffix

Used to form names of β-lactamase inhibitors.

OriginEnglish beta-lactamase ← Ancient Greek δῐᾰ́στᾰσῐς (dĭắstăsĭs) ← Proto-Hellenic *hístāmi →
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Meanings

suffix
  1. medicineUsed to form names of β-lactamase inhibitors.

Origin

  1. Proto-Semitic*bayt-
  2. Phoenician𐤁𐤕 (bt)
  3. Ancient Greekβῆτᾰ (bêtă)
  4. Englishbeta
  5. Latinlac
  6. Englishlacto-
  7. GermanKeton
  8. Englishketone
  9. Englishlac(tone)
  10. Egyptianjmn
  11. Ancient GreekᾸ̓́μμων (Ắmmōn)
  12. LatinAmmōn
  13. Latinammoniacus
  14. Englishammonia
  15. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
  16. Englisham(ide)
  17. Englishlactam
  18. Englishbeta-lactam
  19. Proto-Indo-European*dwóh₁
  20. Proto-Indo-European*trísinflu.
  21. Proto-Indo-European*dwís
  22. Ancient Greekδιά (diá)
  23. Ancient Greekδῐᾰ- (dĭă-)
  24. Proto-Indo-European*steh₂-
  25. Proto-Indo-European*stísteh₂ti
  26. Proto-Hellenic*hístāmi
  27. Ancient Greekῐ̔́στημῐ (hĭ́stēmĭ)
  28. Ancient Greekδῐῐ̈́στημῐ (dĭĭ̈́stēmĭ)
  29. Ancient Greekδῐᾰ́στᾰσῐς (dĭắstăsĭs)
  30. Englishdiastase
  31. Englishbeta-lactamase
  32. English-bactam

Contraction of beta-lactamase.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

-bactam. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-bactam

MLA

“-bactam.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-bactam. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “-bactam,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-bactam.

Source: -bactam on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.