noun, plural abacuses, abaci. [ab-uh-sahy, -kahy, uh-bak-ahy] /ËÃ¦b ÉËsaÉª, -ËkaÉª, ÉËbÃ¦k aÉª/ (Show IPA) 1. a device for making arithmetic calculations, consisting of a frame set with rods on which balls or beads are moved. 2. Architecture. a slab forming the top of the capital of a column. Origin of abacus.
Quick Answer. Sulfa is a type of pharmaceutical drug that contain sulfonamides. Sulfonamides are compounds that contain nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen and the sulfur they take their name from. Sulfur is a chemical that is extremely small and unlikely to cause allergic reactions on its own, unlike sulfonamides. Continue Reading.
Sulfamethoxazole belongs to a group of drugs known as sulfonamides (sulfa drugs). Trimethoprim does not belong to a specific class of medications. These two antibiotics work in different but similar ways. Essentially, both work by inhibiting the production of folic acid in bacteria, although they work in different stages of folic acid production. Folic acid is important for making proteins and DNA.