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.
If possible, wash the wound with soap and water; avoid using antiseptic wipes, which may irritate the wound.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026
Mark Joseph Stern: It sounds antiseptic, but it’s absolutely atrocious.
From Slate • Feb. 28, 2026
In an age before antiseptic, opening up the body almost always led to infection and death.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026
While bemoaning the antiseptic, “look, don’t touch” aesthetic of modern cinema, Benedict did find time to tie it to the way we live, saying that the inhumanity of modern homes has crept into our bodies.
From Salon • Aug. 23, 2025
“I’ll give you the simplified explanation of how this works,” Matthew says as Nita brushes Tris’s arm with antiseptic.
From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth
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.
