beta-lactam

noun

A lactam having a four-membered ring structure; a structural element of many antibiotics such as penicillin.

OriginEnglish lactam ← Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- ← Latin ammoniacus →
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Meanings

nounbeta-lactam (plural beta-lactams)

plural beta-lactams · alternative β-lactam · alternative betalactam

  1. chemistryA lactam having a four-membered ring structure; a structural element of many antibiotics such as penicillin.

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

From beta + lactam, where beta refers to the position of the carbon atom to which the nitrogen is attached.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Hungarian béta-laktám
  • béta-laktámlactam having a four-membered ring structure
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

Source: beta-lactam on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.