disinfectant

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a chemical or other agent used on surfaces or objects to destroy or inactivate harmful microorganisms

   Staff cleaned the examination table with hospital-grade disinfectant.

2. 2
   adj

   serving to destroy or inhibit harmful microorganisms

   The treatment produces a mild disinfectant acid in the solution.

Borrowed from French desinfectant, the present participle of desinfecter, 'to disinfect,' and analyzable in English as disinfect + -ant. Disinfect combines dis-, marking removal or reversal, with infect, ultimately Latin inficere, 'to stain or contaminate.'

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