disinfect

American  

[dis-in-fekt] / ˌdɪs ɪnˈfɛkt /

verb (used with object)

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

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disinfect British  

/ ˌdɪsɪnˈfɛkt /

verb

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

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Usage

What does disinfect mean? Disinfect means to clean something of infection by killing or preventing the growth of disease-causing germs, as in You want to disinfect your countertop after having raw meat on it to kill harmful bacteria like E. coli. Disease-causing microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses (often referred to as germs) can live on surfaces or enter into open wounds. When you disinfect something, you are either directly killing the germs or making it harder for the germs to spread or survive. The noun disinfection refers to the act of disinfecting, as in The contaminated clothing was marked for disinfection. A chemical that is used to disinfect something is referred to as a disinfectant. Bleach is commonly used as a disinfectant in households. Example: The janitor disinfected the table using a cleaning chemical designed to kill germs.

Other Word Forms

• disinfection
  noun
• disinfective
  adjective
• disinfector
  noun
• redisinfect
  verb (used with object)
• undisinfected
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of disinfect

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

Explanation

To disinfect something is to clean it so thoroughly that you kill any bacteria that might have been living on it. It's particularly important to disinfect cuts and scratches. You can disinfect your kitchen counters with cleaning products, or disinfect a scrape by washing it with soap and water. Public swimming pools have chlorine added to their water to disinfect them, and bleach is a good all-purpose chemical used to disinfect floors, laundry, and other things that might be harboring nasty bugs. Infect comes from a Latin root word, inficere, "to spoil or stain." Adding the prefix dis-, "do the opposite of," gives you disinfect.

Example Sentences

Disinfect the pots, flats and cell packs before planting to avoid problems with damping off and other diseases.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 24, 2024

“So sterilize those beakers! Disinfect that glass pipette!”

From New York Times • Oct. 21, 2022

Disinfect pruners and planting pots and containers with a solution of one-part household bleach and ten-parts water.

From Salon • Jul. 13, 2021

Disinfect corpses and ensure that people burying them wear protective clothing.

From Nature • Aug. 4, 2015

Disinfect the whole house every few weeks, taking advantage of sunny weather so quick drying will follow.

From Pratt's Practical Pointers on the Care of Livestock and Poultry by Pratt Food Co.

Related Words

• cleanse
• decontaminate
• sanitize
• sterilize