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.
In response, cruise staff increased cleaning and disinfection procedures, isolated ill passengers and crew members, and consulted with the CDC on sanitation procedures and reporting cases, according to the CDC.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026
Raw Farm is in good standing, according to the Department of Food and Agriculture, consistently meeting standards for sanitation and cow health.
From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026
But he said 70% of the population still needs proper shelter, as sanitation conditions deteriorate and essential services are "on the brink".
From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2026
He has graduate degrees in sociology and business, and only became a vidangeur—the Quebecois word for what Americans call a sanitation worker—to pay for college.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
From the way they smelled, he thought maybe they worked for the sanitation department and had come here after work.
From "Small Steps" by Louis Sachar
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.
