disinfectant

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun an agent (as heat or radiation or a chemical) that destroys microorganisms that might carry disease
  2. adjective preventing infection by inhibiting the growth or action of microorganisms

Etymology

From disinfect + -ant, borrowed from French désinfectant.

In classic literature

Synonyms

germicide, antimicrobic, antimicrobial

A single word — an entire dictionary opens.

Type a word, a sentence, a book title, or a link to an English article. WordNet and the Classics answer.

Try

A library of classics · a vault of words · instant etymology & meaning

Continue reading