Meanings
- uncountablemedicineA glycopeptide antibiotic C₆₆H₇₅Cl₂N₉O₂₄ produced by the actinomycete Amycolaptosis orientalis, used in the form of its hydrochloride C₆₆H₇₅Cl₂N₉O₂₄·HCl against Gram-positive bacteria, especially staphylococci resistant to meticillin and enterococci.
Vancomycin was given intravenously in doses of 0.5 gm. at 6-hour intervals for periods of up to 4 weeks to 9 patients, all of whom had staphylococcal infections.
1956, J. Geraci, “Some Laboratory and Clinical Experiences with a New Antibiotic, Vancomycin”, in Proc. Staff, Meetings Mayo Clinic, volume 31, number 21, page 564
Synonyms & antonyms
nounan antibiotic (trade name Vancocin) effective against some bacterial infections
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
From vanquish + -o- + -mycin (“antibiotic produced by a Streptomyces strain”).
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 萬古黴素 /万古霉素
- 萬古黴素 /万古霉素 (wàngǔméisù)Translations
French vancomycine
- vancomycineTranslations
Italian vancomicina
- vancomicinaTranslations
Portuguese vancomicina
- vancomicinaTranslations
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with vancomycin
All rhymes →Cite this entry
vancomycin. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vancomycin
“vancomycin.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vancomycin. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “vancomycin,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vancomycin.
Source: vancomycin on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.