(n) a chemical substance derivable from a mold or bacterium that can kill microorganisms and cure bacterial infections, Syn. antibiotic drug, Example:when antibiotics were first discovered they were called wonder drugs
n. 1. A chemical substance derived from a mold or bacterium that kills microorganisms and cures infections. Syn. -- wonder drug [ WordNet 1.5 ]
2. any chemical substance having therapeutically useful antibacterial or antifungal activity; -- used commonly but loosely for synthetic as well as natural antimicrobial agents. [ PJC ]