a yellow, odorless, crystalline powder, CHNO, prepared synthetically or obtained from certain streptomyces: it is a broad-spectrum antibiotic
Origin:
< tetra- + cycl(ic) + -ine
See tetracycline in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
A yellow crystalline compound, C22H24N2O8, synthesized or derived from certain microorganisms of the genus Streptomyces and used as a broad-spectrum antibiotic.
An antibiotic, such as chlortetracycline and oxytetracycline, having the same basic structure.