sanitation
Americannoun
-
the development and application of sanitary measures for the sake of cleanliness, protecting health, etc.
-
the disposal of sewage and solid waste.
noun
Etymology
Origin of sanitation
First recorded in 1840–50; sanit(ary) + -ation
Explanation
Sanitation has to do with making things clean, especially by sterilizing. Have you ever used hand sanitizer to make sure your hands are germ-free? Then you should have an idea what sanitation is: making something clean (sanitary). Sanitation workers pick up your garbage, keeping your neighborhood clean. Sanitation is important in restaurants and also for surgical instruments. You wouldn't want a surgeon to touch you with an instrument that hadn't gone through sanitation, because it would probably have germs.
Vocabulary lists containing sanitation
Africa - Introductory
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Africa - Middle School
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Africa - High School
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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.
AFP reporters in Ceuta in the days following the influx saw unaccompanied children suffering limited access to food, water, shelter and sanitation.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
"Along with clean water and sanitation, immunisations have had a profound impact on keeping children alive," says Ben Kasstan-Dabush, a lecturer in global health policy at the University of Edinburgh.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
Dan Ruby, of Minot, N.D., a state representative for 25 years, runs a sanitation company.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
Bergquist said ICE has met these two requirements, but still has not addressed more immediate issues such as water and food quality, as well as sanitation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026
There’s little in the way of basic sanitation.
From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah
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.
