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:
The settlement applies to around 2,700 people detained at the Adelanto facility between March 11 and Sept. 30, 2020, who were exposed to the disinfectant called HDQ Neutral.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
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
At Kampala’s Mirembe food market, where stalls overflow with watermelons and green bananas, fish vendor Medie Waiswa uses disinfectant every morning to clean his countertop, storage cabinet, chairs and motorcycle handlebars.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
Chlorine dioxide is a chemical compound that has a range of applications, including as a disinfectant and deodorizer.
From Salon ● Dec. 15, 2025
“It’s the disinfectant I used to clean out the bath,” said Rosa.
From "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer
That ability helps them survive changing conditions, but it can also create problems when harmful species become resistant to antibiotics and disinfectants.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 7, 2026
Boor began investigating how cleaning agents and chemical disinfectants affect indoor environments during the COVID-19 pandemic with his colleague Nusrat Jung, a Purdue Assistant Professor of Civil and Construction Engineering.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026
She said the overflowing and soiled bathrooms were so disgusting that she had to use the little money she had on her to purchase bleach and disinfectants for her family.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 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
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.
