variants or less commonly tyrocidin
: a basic polypeptide antibiotic produced by a soil bacillus (Bacillus brevis)

Word History

Etymology

tyrothricin + gramicidin

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tyrocidine was in 1940

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tyrocidine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tyrocidine. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.

Medical Definition

tyrocidine

noun
ty·​ro·​ci·​dine
: a basic polypeptide antibiotic produced by a soil bacterium of the genus Bacillus (B. brevis) and constituting the major component of tyrothricin
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