inertize
|in-er-tize|
🇺🇸
/ɪˈnɜrtaɪz/
🇬🇧
/ɪˈnɜːtaɪz/
make inert
Etymology
'inertize' is formed in English by combining the adjective 'inert' with the verb-forming suffix '-ize' (via Greek -izein/Latin/French '-iser'), meaning 'to make' or 'to cause to be'.
'inert' comes from Latin 'iners' (in- 'not' + ars 'skill'/'activity') meaning 'inactive' or 'unskilled'; English 'inert' developed from this Latin source, and the verb 'inertize' was later created in English by adding '-ize' to 'inert'.
Initially the elements meant 'not active' (inert); over time the verb formation came to mean specifically 'to make inert'—often in technical or industrial contexts (e.g., chemically or by inert gas).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
to make inert; to render chemically or physically inactive or nonreactive.
They inertize the catalyst before disposal to prevent hazardous reactions.
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Verb 2
to make (a container, vessel, or environment) safe by introducing an inert gas or otherwise removing or displacing a reactive atmosphere.
Before maintenance they inertize the storage tank with nitrogen to eliminate oxygen.
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Last updated: 2025/12/21 14:44