penam

P3E1N1A1M3
/ˈpɛnæm/

noun

A bicyclic ring system containing a beta-lactam moiety fused with a five-member thiazolidine ring; the common core skeleton of the penicillin subclass of beta-lactam antibiotics.

OriginEnglish lactam ← Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- ← Latin ammoniacus →
Scrabble 9
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Meanings

nounpenam (plural penams)

plural penams

  1. chemistryA bicyclic ring system containing a beta-lactam moiety fused with a five-member thiazolidine ring; the common core skeleton of the penicillin subclass of beta-lactam antibiotics.

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. Latinlac
  9. Englishlacto-
  10. GermanKeton
  11. Englishketone
  12. Englishlac(tone)
  13. Egyptianjmn
  14. Ancient GreekᾸ̓́μμων (Ắmmōn)
  15. LatinAmmōn
  16. Latinammoniacus
  17. Englishammonia
  18. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
  19. Englisham(ide)
  20. Englishlactam
  21. Englishpenam

Blend of penicillin + lactam.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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