germicides
|germ-i-cides|
🇺🇸
/ˈdʒɝː.mɪ.saɪd/
🇬🇧
/ˈdʒɜː(r).mɪ.saɪd/
(germicide)
germ-killing agent
Etymology
'germicide' originates from Modern English, specifically the combination of the noun 'germ' and the suffix '-cide', where '-cide' came from Latin 'caedere' meaning 'to cut, kill'.
'germ' derives from Latin 'germen' meaning 'sprout' and acquired the sense of a microorganism in the 19th century; the suffix '-cide' derives from Latin 'caedere' (via Old French forms) and has been used in English to form words meaning 'killer of' (e.g. 'homicide', 'pesticide'), leading to the compound 'germicide'.
Initially and throughout its history it has meant 'an agent that kills germs', and this basic meaning has remained stable into modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a substance or agent that kills germs (microorganisms); a disinfectant used to destroy pathogenic microorganisms.
Hospitals often use strong germicides to disinfect operating rooms.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/22 02:53