disinfectant
Americannoun
-
disinfectants
plural
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of disinfectant
1830–40; < French désinfectant, noun use of present participle of désinfecter, Middle French. See disinfect, -ant
Explanation
If you need to clean a nasty mess, grab some disinfectant. It's a powerful cleanser that kills bacteria. Disinfectant is a chemical that can destroy dangerous microorganisms — using it is the next best thing to sterilization. If someone in your family has had the flu, it makes sense to use a disinfectant when you clean the bathroom, just in case there are lingering germs on the doorknobs and faucets. Disinfectants are similar to antibiotics and antiseptics, except they're used on objects and surfaces rather than on (or in) our bodies.
Vocabulary lists containing disinfectant
Earthquake Terror
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Free Period
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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.
See Examples For:
To examine what happens under realistic conditions, the researchers tested scented conventional liquid products as well as botanical-containing disinfectant sprays and wipes inside a model home on Purdue's campus.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026
The Lysol disinfectant maker’s sales grew 5% on a like-for-like basis on year, Reckitt Benckiser said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 5, 2026
Chlorine dioxide is a chemical compound that has a range of applications, including as a disinfectant and deodorizer.
From Salon ● Dec. 15, 2025
In addition, customers who have a water dispenser on their refrigerator should flush the device or five minutes; make and discard three batches of ice cubes and clean the ice bin with a disinfectant.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2025
A year or so earlier these same girls had been porcelain figurines, gingerly dipping their toes into the disinfectant basin at the public pool.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
Out of a conference room converted into a makeshift studio, customer-service staff answered questions on video about the chemical composition of disinfectants.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026
Bacteria and viruses can hide inside amoebae, where they may be shielded from disinfectants and other treatment methods.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 6, 2026
If infected rodents are confirmed on board, public-health officials might require a thorough decontamination—a process that, according to the CDC, involves wetting all surfaces with disinfectants before cleaning to avoid sending virus particles airborne.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 4, 2026
Instead of relying on chemical disinfectants, the surface uses mechanical force to disable the virus.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 22, 2026
Father set down his box of ammonia and disinfectants.
From "Dragonwings" by Laurence Yep
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
