I. ˌan-tē-bī-ˈä-tik, -ˌtī-; -bē-ˈä- adjective
Date: 1894
1. : tending to prevent, inhibit, or destroy life
2. : of or relating to antibiotics or to antibiosis
• an·ti·bi·ot·i·cal·ly -ti-k(ə-)lē adverb
II. noun
Date: 1943
: a substance produced by or a semisynthetic substance derived from a microorganism and able in dilute solution to inhibit or kill another microorganism