azithromycin

/əˌzɪθ.ɹoʊˈmaɪ.sn̩/

//əˌzɪθ.ɹoʊˈmaɪ.sn̩// noun

"azithromycin" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“azithromycin” is an uncommon English word, ranked #91,260 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#91,260
frequency rank, English
12
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A semisynthetic macrolide antibiotic C₃₈H₇₂N₂O₁₂ (trademarks Zithromax, Z-PAK) that is derived from erythromycin and is used especially as an antibacterial agent.

Key facts for azithromycin
PropertyValue
Headwordazithromycin
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/əˌzɪθ.ɹoʊˈmaɪ.sn̩/
Letters12
Frequency rank#91,260
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “azithromycin” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). azithromycin lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for azithromycin is 12 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˌzɪθ.ɹoʊˈmaɪ.sn̩/. Corpus data places it at rank #91,260 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "A semisynthetic macrolide antibiotic C₃₈H₇₂N₂O₁₂ (trademarks Zithromax, Z-PAK) that is derived from erythromycin and is used especially as an antibacterial agent.".

Zero misspellings are on record for azithromycin in our index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From az- + (er)ythromycin. The correct English form is azithromycin, spelled A-Z-I-T-H-R-O-M-Y-C-I-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A semisynthetic macrolide antibiotic C₃₈H₇₂N₂O₁₂ (trademarks Zithromax, Z-PAK) that is derived from erythromycin and is used especially as an antibacterial agent.

Etymology

From az- + (er)ythromycin.

Synonyms

ZithromaxZmaxZithromax Tri-PakTri-PakZithromax Z-PakZ-Pak

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "azithromycin"?
"azithromycin" is spelled A-Z-I-T-H-R-O-M-Y-C-I-N. The IPA pronunciation is /əˌzɪθ.ɹoʊˈmaɪ.sn̩/.
What does "azithromycin" mean?
As a noun, "azithromycin" means: A semisynthetic macrolide antibiotic C₃₈H₇₂N₂O₁₂ (trademarks Zithromax, Z-PAK) that is derived from erythromycin and is used especially as an antibacterial agent.
How do you pronounce "azithromycin"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "azithromycin" is /əˌzɪθ.ɹoʊˈmaɪ.sn̩/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "azithromycin"?
From az- + (er)ythromycin. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “azithromycin”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is A-Z-I-T-H-R-O-M-Y-C-I-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /əˌzɪθ.ɹoʊˈmaɪ.sn̩/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list