Definition

1. Noun:
   • A penicillinase-resistant antibiotic: Nafcillin is a type of penicillin antibiotic that is not broken down by the bacterial enzyme penicillinase. It is used to treat infections caused by certain bacteria, specifically strains of staphylococci that are resistant to regular penicillin.

Usage

• Medical Context: The word "nafcillin" is used almost exclusively in medical, pharmaceutical, and healthcare settings. It refers to a specific prescription drug.
• Common Constructions: It is typically used with verbs like , , , or .
  • The doctor decided to prescribe nafcillin for the stubborn infection.
  • The patient is on nafcillin for two weeks.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The lab results indicated a penicillin-resistant strain, so the standard treatment was switched to nafcillin.
  • Intravenous nafcillin is often used for serious staphylococcal infections.

Advanced Usage

• "Nafcillin sodium": This is the common salt form in which the drug is manufactured and administered.
  • The pharmacy prepared a solution of nafcillin sodium for the IV drip.

Variants and Related Words

• Nafcil: This is a trade name (brand name) for the drug nafcillin.
  • The prescription was written for Nafcil, the brand-name version.

Synonyms

• Antistaphylococcal penicillin: A broader category of antibiotics that includes nafcillin and similar drugs effective against staphylococci.
• Penicillinase-resistant penicillin: A technical synonym describing its key property of resisting bacterial enzymes.

Notes on Meaning

• Specificity: Unlike the general term "penicillin," "nafcillin" refers to one very specific synthetic antibiotic within that class, designed to overcome bacterial resistance.
• No Figurative Use: This is a highly technical term with no idiomatic, metaphorical, or common figurative uses.

Noun

1. a penicillinase-resistant form of penicillin (trade name Nafcil) used (usually in the form of its sodium salt) to treat infections caused by penicillin-resistant strains of staphylococci