melittin

M3E1L1I1T1T1I1N1
UK/mɛˈlɪt.ɪn/US/məˈlɪt.ən/

noun

A peptide, containing 26 amino acids, which is present in bee venom and has been used experimentally as an antibacterial agent, especially against penicillin-resistant bacteria.

OriginGerman Melittin →
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Meanings

nounmelittin (countable and uncountable, plural melittins)

plural melittins

  1. countableuncountablebiochemistryA peptide, containing 26 amino acids, which is present in bee venom and has been used experimentally as an antibacterial agent, especially against penicillin-resistant bacteria.

    If enough bees sting an animal, the cardiotoxin component of melittin will work to arrest its heart.

    2016 August 18, Avi Steinberg, “The Connoisseur of Pain”, in The New York Times Magazine

Origin

  1. GermanMelittin
  2. Englishmelittin

Borrowed from German Melittin, from Attic Greek μέλιττα (mélitta, “bee”) + -in, from German -in.

More words from German

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

limettin
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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