Is Penicillin a Real Word?

Penicillin: The most famous of all antibiotics, named for the fungal mold Penicillium notatum from which it is derived.

What is this word penicillin?

: an antibiotic that is produced by a mold and is used against disease-causing bacteria. penicillin. noun. pen·​i·​cil·​lin | \ ˌpen-ə-ˈsil-ən \

What is the root word of penicillin?

The Latin root, penicillus, or "paintbrush," describes the shape of the mold cells that were used to created the original penicillin.