a cephalosporin antibiotic prescribed for mild infections of the skin, ears, throat, lungs, or urinary tract
cephalexin in American English
(ˌsefəˈleksɪn)
noun
Pharmacology
an oral, antimicrobial drug, C16H7N3O4S, used in treating minor respiratory and urinary tract infections and as a backup or alternative to penicillin treatment
Word origin
[1965–70; cephal(osporin) + -ex- of unclear derivation + -in2]This word is first recorded in the period 1965–70. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: double-book, hired gun, overdub, stun gun, wraparound-in is a noun suffix used in a special manner in chemical and mineralogical nomenclature(glycerin; acetin, etc.). In spelling, usage wavers between -in and -ine. In chemistry a certain distinction of use is attempted, basic substances havingthe termination -ine rather than -in (aconitine; aniline, etc.), and -in being restricted to certain neutral compounds, glycerides, glucosides, and proteids(albumin; palmitin, etc.), but this distinction is not always observed
Examples of 'cephalexin' in a sentence
cephalexin
There was also what appeared to be his medicine: cephalexin [an antibiotic], acetaminophenand potassium drops.