antiseptic
Americanadjective
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pertaining to or affecting antisepsis.
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free from or cleaned of germs and other microorganisms.
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exceptionally clean or neat.
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free of contamination or pollution.
noun
adjective
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of, relating to, or effecting antisepsis
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entirely free from contamination
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informal lacking spirit or excitement; clinical
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of antiseptic
Explanation
If you are out to kill some microorganisms, an antiseptic will come in handy! If you go to a hospital for a cut on your arm, the nurse will apply an antiseptic to the wound because it will kill any bacteria, while not harming your healthy skin. Antiseptic is also an adjective that describes the state of being clean and without disease-causing bacteria: "The antiseptic wash the nurse splashed over your arm was bright blue and smelled funny, but it kept your wound free of infection." Antiseptic can also describe something that is clean in a different way — as in, free of any objectionable language. A comedian's jokes could be so antiseptic that even your grandmother would like them.
Vocabulary lists containing antiseptic
Power Prefix: Anti
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300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
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Esperanza Rising
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Betadine Antiseptic First Aid products have not been approved to treat coronavirus," reads a statement on the manufacturer's website.
From Salon • Sep. 29, 2021
Antiseptic solution, alcohol wipes or sterile saline solution are useful to sanitize cuts and scrapes and kill germs that could cause infections, Balmes said.
From Washington Post • Sep. 14, 2020
Antiseptic washes, ultraviolet light, sulphur dust, gamma rays�the possibilities are almost endless, but the purpose is almost always the same: to stop decay caused by fungi and bacteria.
From Time Magazine Archive
Antiseptic plots portray the struggles of workers, peasants and soldiers against landlords and imperialists.
From Time Magazine Archive
"My name is Browne," he replied; and also smiling as he said it, he added: "I am Browne's Mimosa Soap, Fragrant and Antiseptic."
From The Red Rat's Daughter by Boothby, Guy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
