| / English Dictionary |
DISINFECTANT
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
An agent (as heat or radiation or a chemical) that destroys microorganisms that might carry disease
Synonyms:
antimicrobial; antimicrobic; disinfectant; germicide
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Hypernyms ("disinfectant" is a kind of...):
agent (a substance that exerts some force or effect)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "disinfectant"):
cetrimide (a cationic detergent that is a powerful disinfectant)
sodium hypochlorite (an unstable salt (NaOCl) used as a bleaching agent and disinfectant)
Derivation:
disinfect (destroy microorganisms or pathogens by cleansing)
disinfectant (preventing infection by inhibiting the growth or action of microorganisms)
II. (adjective)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Preventing infection by inhibiting the growth or action of microorganisms
Synonyms:
bactericidal; disinfectant; germicidal
Classified under:
Similar:
antiseptic (thoroughly clean and free of or destructive to disease-causing organisms)
Derivation:
disinfect (destroy microorganisms or pathogens by cleansing)
disinfectant (an agent (as heat or radiation or a chemical) that destroys microorganisms that might carry disease)
Context examples:
Formaldehyde is readily soluble in water and is commonly distributed as a 37% solution in water; formalin, a 10% solution of formaldehyde in water, is used as a disinfectant and to preserve biological specimens.
(Formaldehyde, NCI Thesaurus)
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
