tetracycline

T1E1T1R1A1C3Y4C3L1I1N1E1
/ˌtɛ.tɹəˈsaɪ.kliːn/

noun

A yellow crystalline broad-spectrum antibiotic C₂₂H₂₄N₂O₈ produced by streptomyces or synthetically.

Similar
Achromycin
OriginEnglish tetracyclic ← Classical Latin cyclicus ← French cyclique →
Less commonScrabble 19
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Meanings

nountetracycline (countable and uncountable, plural tetracyclines, abbreviation tet)

plural tetracyclines · abbreviation tet

  1. uncountablemedicineA yellow crystalline broad-spectrum antibiotic C₂₂H₂₄N₂O₈ produced by streptomyces or synthetically.
  2. countablemedicineAny of a large group of antibiotics with the same general structure derived from tetracene with many hydroxyl and other groups.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounan antibiotic (trade name Achromycin) derived from microorganisms of the genus Streptomyces and used broadly to treat infections

Similar
Achromycin
Broader
antibacterialantibacterial drugbactericide

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*kʷetwóres
  2. Proto-Hellenic*kʷétwores
  3. Ancient Greekτέσσᾰρες (téssăres)
  4. Ancient Greekτετρᾰ- (tetră-)
  5. Englishtetra-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*kʷelh₁-redup.
  7. Proto-Indo-European*kʷékʷlos
  8. Proto-Hellenic*kʷókʷlos
  9. Proto-Hellenic*kúklos
  10. Ancient Greekκύκλος (kúklos)
  11. Ancient Greekκυκλῐκός (kuklĭkós)
  12. Classical Latincyclicu
  13. Middle Frenchcyclique
  14. Frenchcyclique
  15. Classical Latincyclicus
  16. Englishcyclic
  17. Englishtetracyclic
  18. Englishtetracycline

From tetracyclic + -ine.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 四環素 /四环素, 四環素 /四环素
  • 四環素 /四环素 (sìhuánsù)antibiotic produced by bacteria
  • 四環素 /四环素 (sìhuánsù)antibiotic with the same general structure
Finnish tetrasykliini
  • tetrasykliiniantibiotic produced by bacteria
French tétracycline, tétracycline
  • tétracyclineantibiotic produced by bacteria
  • tétracyclineantibiotic with the same general structure
Greek τετρακυκλίνη, τετρακυκλίνη
  • τετρακυκλίνη (tetrakyklíni)antibiotic produced by bacteria
  • τετρακυκλίνη (tetrakyklíni)antibiotic with the same general structure
Hungarian tetraciklin, tetraciklin
  • tetraciklinantibiotic produced by bacteria
  • tetraciklinantibiotic with the same general structure
Russian тетрацикли́н, тетрацикли́н
  • тетрацикли́н (tetraciklín)antibiotic produced by bacteria
  • тетрацикли́н (tetraciklín)antibiotic with the same general structure
Cite this entry
APA

tetracycline. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tetracycline

MLA

“tetracycline.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tetracycline. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tetracycline,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tetracycline.

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