disinfect

[ dis-in-fekt ]
See synonyms for: disinfectdisinfecteddisinfection on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)
  1. to cleanse (rooms, wounds, clothing, etc.) of infection; destroy disease germs in.

Origin of disinfect

1
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Middle French desinfecter, equivalent to des- dis-1 + infecter “to die, taint, poison”; see infect

Other words from disinfect

  • dis·in·fec·tion, noun
  • dis·in·fec·tive, adjective
  • dis·in·fec·tor, noun
  • re·dis·in·fect, verb (used with object)
  • un·dis·in·fect·ed, adjective

Words Nearby disinfect

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use disinfect in a sentence

  • The tub used in the birth was not approved for medical use and is difficult to disinfect.

    Are Water Births Toxic to Babies? | Brandy Zadrozny | December 12, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
  • They informed her that a hazmat company would be coming through shortly to disinfect the area, both inside the building and out.

  • Tobacco, alcoholic liquor and a walk in the fresh air will not disinfect the visitor to such a disease.

  • To disinfect the surface of a mattress place it on chairs in a small room or in a closet and pour upon a cloth under it 500 cc.

  • If a valuable dog should get into the room, disinfect its hair thoroughly with the acid bichloride and then rinse the hair.

  • Then the mother will say the child never had diphtheria; she will not disinfect, and she will let the child run about the house.

  • It is of particular value to disinfect skin wounds, as it heals as well as cleanses when used in a weak solution.

    A Civic Biology | George William Hunter

British Dictionary definitions for disinfect

disinfect

/ (ˌdɪsɪnˈfɛkt) /


verb
  1. (tr) to rid of microorganisms potentially harmful to man, esp by chemical means

Derived forms of disinfect

  • disinfection, noun
  • disinfector, noun

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