Broad-spectrum Definition & Meaning

American

British

Etymology

Examples

Synonyms broad-spectrum American [brawd-spek-truhm] / ˈbrɔdˈspɛk trəm /

adjective

1. noting an antibiotic, insecticide, or other chemical effective against a wide range of organisms.

2. noting a sunscreen effective in absorbing or blocking ultraviolet (UVA and UVB) radiation.

3. having a wide range of uses.

   The questionnaire is a broad-spectrum tool for diagnosing depression and anxiety.

broad-spectrum British

noun

1. (modifier) effective against a wide variety of diseases or microorganisms

   a broad-spectrum antibiotic

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of broad-spectrum

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Doxycycline is a broad-spectrum antibiotic commonly prescribed for infections and acne.

From Science Daily

In the long term, gaining insight into the genetic factors that help E. coli spread could lead to more targeted therapies and reduce reliance on broad-spectrum antibiotics.

From Science Daily

The broad-spectrum comedy producer’s magnum opus, “Saturday Night Live,” has just begun its 51st season, and Mr. Michaels, now age 80, recently donated his 500-box archive to the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin.

From The Wall Street Journal

Spending long hours reading research on LAB amid a particularly disheartening breakout, I became fixated on the idea that the key to clearer skin lay in the strategic inclusion of beneficial bacteria through probiotics rather than the indiscriminate eradication of bacteria through broad-spectrum antibiotics.

From Slate

Look for broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher; it should be worn daily and reapplied every couple of hours.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.