disinfectant
noun
dis·in·fec·tant
| \ ˌdis-in-ˈfek-tənt
\
\
Definition of disinfectant
: an agent that frees from infection
especially
: a chemical that destroys vegetative forms of harmful microorganisms (such as bacteria and fungi) especially on inanimate objects but that may be less effective in destroying spores
Examples of disinfectant in a Sentence
They use a strong disinfectant on the medical equipment.
Clean the area with disinfectant.
Recent Examples on the Web
In addition, Edelman has her students wipe down doorknobs, computer mouses, and keyboards with disinfectant wipes. — Colleen Stinchcombe, SELF, "I Have a Compromised Immune System—I Rely on Herd Immunity to Live," 26 Aug. 2019 FutureCow owner Kevin Dole, a microbiologist, started the business after being asked to find a less expensive disinfectant for cow udders. — Austin Fuller, orlandosentinel.com, "Milking it: ‘Teatscrubber’ for dairy cows spurs Sanford company’s rapid growth," 15 Aug. 2019 Social impact theory would suggest that the best approach to administering social disinfectant is via large numbers of geographically nearby, authoritative nonbelievers. — Barry Markovsky, Houston Chronicle, "Cuban 'sonic attacks' to US: Mass hysterias will never go away," 9 Jan. 2018 Also, many school supply lists request items such as hand sanitizer, paper towels, plastic bags and disinfectant wipes. — Author: Laura Daily, Anchorage Daily News, "How to save money during back-to-school mania this year," 11 Aug. 2019 But if traditional disinfectants are ineffective, as the new research suggests, what works? — Erika Edwards, NBC News, "Dangerous bacteria can survive disinfectant, putting patients at risk," 12 July 2019 Pribish’s facility is cleaned daily with a surface disinfectant and decontaminant, is vacuumed and mopped daily, and gets spot cleanings throughout the day. — Scott Douglas, Washington Post, "Your gym is teeming with invisible members: Germs. Here’s how to avoid them.," 29 July 2019 Pribish's facility is cleaned daily with a surface disinfectant and decontaminant, is vacuumed and mopped daily, and gets spot cleanings throughout the day. — Scott Douglas, sun-sentinel.com, "Your gym is teeming with invisible members: Germs. Here’s how to avoid them.," 29 July 2019 To reduce the risk of a hot tub rash, the CDC recommends using chlorine and other disinfectants, thoroughly washing your swimsuit after being in the water and ensuring that the water’s pH levels have been checked at least twice a day. — Joelle Goldstein, PEOPLE.com, "Indiana Mom of 2 Nearly Loses Her Leg from Hot Tub Rash While on Vacation: 'I Couldn't Walk'," 25 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'disinfectant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for disinfectant
disinfectant
noun
English Language Learners Definition of disinfectant
: a chemical substance that is used to kill harmful germs and bacteria : a substance that disinfects something
See the full definition for disinfectant in the English Language Learners Dictionary
disinfectant
noun
dis·in·fec·tant
| \ ˌdi-sᵊn-ˈfek-tənt
\
\
Kids Definition of disinfectant
: something that kills germs
disinfectant
noun
dis·in·fec·tant
| \ -ˈfek-tənt
\
\
Medical Definition of disinfectant
(Entry 1 of 2)
: an agent that frees from infection
especially
: a chemical that destroys vegetative forms of harmful microorganisms (as bacteria and fungi) especially on inanimate objects but that may be less effective in destroying spores
disinfectant
adjectiveMedical Definition of disinfectant (Entry 2 of 2)
: serving or tending to disinfect : suitable for use in disinfecting
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