[aw-tuh-kleyv] 
noun, verb, -claved, -clav⋅ing.| 1. | a heavy vessel for conducting chemical reactions under high pressure. |
| 2. | pressure cooker. |
| 3. | Medicine/Medical, Bacteriology. an apparatus in which steam under pressure effects sterilization. |
| 4. | to place in an autoclave. |
| au·to·clave (ô'tō-klāv') n. A strong, pressurized, steam-heated vessel, as for laboratory experiments, sterilization, or cooking. [French : Greek auto-, auto- + Latin clāvis, key (from the fact that it is self-locking from the pressurization).] |
autoclave au·to·clave (ô'tō-klāv')
n.
A pressurized, steam-heated vessel used for sterilization. v. au·to·claved, au·to·clav·ing, au·to·claves
To treat in an autoclave.
| autoclave (ô'tō-klāv') Pronunciation Key
An airtight steel vessel used to heat substances and objects under very high pressures. Autoclaves are used in laboratory experiments and for sterilization. |
təˌkleɪv