What does sulphonamide mean?
A sulphonamide is a chemical compound or medicinal substance containing a sulphonamide functional group. In pharmacology, sulphonamides are a class of antibacterial drugs that helped make bacterial infections treatable and remain important in modern medicine. The term can also be used in chemistry to describe the group itself or any molecule containing it. Sulphonamides may be used on their own or in combination with other antibiotics, as in the combination of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim. The British spelling uses sulphonamide, while American English usually uses sulfonamide. Understanding the word is useful because it connects chemical nomenclature with a significant family of medicines and with the history of antimicrobial treatment.
nounA sulphonamide is an organic compound containing the sulphonamide functional group, especially one of the class of antibacterial drugs that includes sulfamethoxazole. The term also refers more broadly to this functional group in chemistry.
- Any organic compound containing the sulphonamide functional group.
- A member of the class of antibacterial medicines containing a sulphonamide group, especially sulfamethoxazole.
"The doctor prescribed a sulphonamide to treat the infection."
"The laboratory identified the compound as a sulphonamide and tested its antibacterial activity."
"Sulphonamide antibiotics remain important in the treatment of several infections."
Used when referring to multiple sulphonamide compounds or medicines.
"Several sulphonamides are used in combination with other antibiotics."
Sulphonamides helped transform the treatment of bacterial infections, linking a chemical functional group with one of the most important classes of antibacterial medicines.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sulphonamide come from?
The word is a technical formation in chemical nomenclature, combining sulphon- with the suffix -amide. The spelling with ph reflects the traditional British convention, while the form sulfonamide follows American spelling practice. Sulphonamide compounds became especially prominent as antibacterial medicines during the twentieth century.
Related word forms
How sulphonamide is actually used
The spelling sulphonamide is standard in British English; sulfonamide is standard in American English. In medical usage, the term most often refers to a member of the antibacterial drug class rather than to the functional group alone.
Easily confused with sulphonamide
In British spelling the word is written with ph, as sulphonamide, while the US spelling is sulfonamide.