wide-spectrumadj.
/ˌwʌɪdˈspɛktrəm/, U.S. /ˌwaɪdˈspɛktrəm/ 1. Effective against a wide range of organisms, diseases, etc.; = broad-spectrum adj. at broad adj. and n.1 Compounds 2.
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the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > [adjective] > relating to powers or effects of drugs > wide-spectrum
wide-spectrum1950
broad-spectrum1952
wide-spectrum1954
1950 Analysts Jrnl. 6 50/2 In 1948, Lederle Laboratories developed Aureomycin, one of three ‘wide-spectrum’ antibiotics: Aureomycin, Chloromycetin, and Terramycin.
1972 Country Life 25 May 1351/1 The farmer uses..a wide-spectrum weedkiller, which is a mixture of chemicals designed to control a whole range of weeds.
1991 D. J. Welsch Riparian Forest Buffers (U.S. Dept. Agric. Forest Service) 9/1 Wide spectrum pesticides, which kill a wide variety of non-target organisms and remain active for a long period of time are no longer used.
2005 Irish Times (Nexis) 25 Aug. 14 Doctors here have a tendency to employ wide-spectrum drugs, as opposed to those specifically targeted at the particular infection.
2. Of, relating to, or producing light or sound that covers a wide range of wavelengths or frequencies.
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the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > [adjective] > relating to powers or effects of drugs > wide-spectrum
wide-spectrum1950
broad-spectrum1952
wide-spectrum1954
the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > light > chromatism > [adjective] > of or relating to the spectroscope > wide-spectrum
wide-spectrum1954
1954 Brit. Jrnl. Industr. Med. 11 74/1 47 subjects with normal binaural hearing acuity were exposed monaurally to wide spectrum noise at approximately 115 db. above threshold for 10 minutes.
1977 J. L. Harper Population Biol. Plants x. 321 They inserted wide-spectrum fluorescent tubes between the rows of a close canopied crop of soyabeans.
1979 Plant Physiol. 63 841/2 Wide spectrum light sources will be used to determine the action of various factors.
2002 P. Bray-Ward in B. Beatty et al. FISH ii. 6 Mercury and xenon arc lamps produce wide spectrum emissions.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2017; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.1950