n.
Pronunciation: r ī - ' fam-p ə n
Variant: or ri · fam · pi · cin \ r ī - ' fam-p ə -s ə n \
Function: noun
Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary, alteration of rifamycin, antibiotic derived from Streptomyces mediterranei
Date: 1966
: a semisynthetic antibiotic C 43 H 58 N 4 O 12 used especially in the treatment of tuberculosis and to treat asymptomatic carriers of meningococci