-cillin

/ˈsɪl.ɪn/

suffix

Used to form names of generic penicillin antibiotic drugs.

“amoxicillin, ampicillin, dicloxacillin, nafcillin, oxacillin”

OriginEnglish penicillin ← Latin pēnicillum ← Proto-Italic *peznis →
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Meanings

suffix
  1. medicineUsed to form names of generic penicillin antibiotic drugs.

    amoxicillin, ampicillin, dicloxacillin, nafcillin, oxacillin

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*pes-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*pes-ni-s
  3. Proto-Italic*peznis
  4. Latinpēnis
  5. Latinpēniculus
  6. Latinpēnicillum
  7. Englishpenicillin
  8. English-cillin

From penicillin.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with -cillin

amoxicillinpenicillinampicillintheophyllinepiperacillinoxacillinticarcillincarbenicillincloxacillindicloxacillinnafcillinbenzylpenicillincarindacillinmeticillinphenoxymethylpenicillin
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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