anti-antiseptic
|an-ti-an-ti-sep-tic|
/ˌæn.ti-æn.tiˈsɛp.tɪk/
against antiseptics
Etymology
'anti-antiseptic' is formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against') attached to 'antiseptic' (from Greek 'antiseptikos', 'anti-' + 'septikos' meaning 'against putrefaction').
'antiseptic' entered modern English in the 19th century (via medical Latin/French from Greek 'antiseptikos'), meaning 'preventing putrefaction or infection.' The compound 'anti-antiseptic' is a later coinage formed by combining the prefix 'anti-' with the existing word 'antiseptic' to indicate opposition to antiseptic practices.
Initially, 'antiseptic' meant 'preventing decay or infection.' 'Anti-antiseptic' originally meant 'against antiseptic methods' and has been used to describe opposition to sterilization or disinfection; by contrast it can also be used descriptively to mean 'not antiseptic' (i.e., unsterile).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person, group, or movement that is opposed to the use of antiseptics or antiseptic principles.
During the debate on hospital hygiene, several anti-antiseptics argued that excessive sterilization had unintended harms.
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Adjective 1
opposed to the use of antiseptics or antiseptic methods; rejecting sterilization or disinfecting practices; not antiseptic.
The group's anti-antiseptic stance led them to oppose routine sterilization procedures.
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Last updated: 2025/11/22 00:30