Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun An agent, such as heat, radiation, or a chemical, that destroys, neutralizes, or inhibits the growth of disease-carrying microorganisms.
- adjective Serving to disinfect.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Serving to disinfect; disinfecting.
- noun An agent used for destroying the contagium or germs of infectious diseases.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun That which disinfects, especially an agent for killing or removing the microorganisms which cause infection. Commonly used disinfectants are chlorine, sodium hypochlorite solution, hydrogen peroxide, and alcohol.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective Referring to something that contains a disinfectant or has the properties of a disinfectant.
- noun A substance which kills germs and/or viruses.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective preventing infection by inhibiting the growth or action of microorganisms
- noun an agent (as heat or radiation or a chemical) that destroys microorganisms that might carry disease
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word disinfectant.
Examples
-
Then researchers dunk their hands in disinfectant and exit through the chemical shower.
What's it like in Level 4? ewillett 2007
-
(Soaked in disinfectant solution 12 minutes, too.)
-
But really I wonder if the reason for the iodine disinfectant is more because the water is not potable than there is much difference in the relative contamination of the fruits and veggies themselves.
-
Everyone always talks about "washing fruits and vegetables" and soaking in disinfectant when you live there.
-
Although you hear of people using either calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide for this purpose under the name "lime", the intended lime for disease epidemics, sanitizing latrines, and similar applications where large quantities of a low-cost disinfectant is needed is actually a third different lime.
Mexican Cookbooks 2004
-
The word disinfectant is synonymous with the term _bactericide_ or _germicide_.
A Practical Physiology Albert F. Blaisdell
-
The smell of disinfectant is quite vile and doesn’t quite go with your dinner.
-
The room already smells of disinfectant, which is more palatable than death, but less honest.
Things My Father Never Told Me Frankie Sachs 2011
-
A disinfectant is a substance which destroys infectious material.
A Practical Physiology Albert F. Blaisdell
-
The disinfectant is a deadly poison, and whoever puts on those clothes is forever doomed.
Comments
Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.