sterilised
|ster-i-lised|
🇺🇸
/ˈstɛr.ə.laɪz/
🇬🇧
/ˈstɛr.ɪ.laɪz/
(sterilise)
make sterile / make free from life
Etymology
'sterilise' originates from French, specifically the verb 'stériliser', ultimately from Latin 'sterilis', where 'sterilis' meant 'barren' or 'unfruitful'.
'sterilis' (Latin) passed into scientific and vernacular French as 'stériliser', and from French (and Late Latin scientific usage) it entered English as 'sterilize'/'sterilise' in the 19th century.
Initially it related to 'barrenness' or 'incapable of producing offspring'; over time the meaning broadened in scientific and medical contexts to include 'making free from microorganisms' as well as 'rendering incapable of reproduction'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
past tense or past participle form of 'sterilise' — to make something sterile (either by removing microbes or by rendering incapable of reproduction).
They sterilised the soil sample before analysis to avoid contamination.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Adjective 1
made free from bacteria or other living microorganisms; rendered aseptic.
The surgical instruments were sterilised before the operation.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/21 22:40