sterilize
To make something completely free from bacteria, spores, or other living microorganisms, typically by heating, chemical treatment, or irradiation.
Sterilize is absolute; it means 100% of microbial life is destroyed, unlike 'sanitize' or 'pasteurize' which only reduce microbes to safe levels.
Word relationships
- disinfect: 'Disinfect' kills most harmful vegetative bacteria but may not destroy highly resilient bacterial spores, whereas 'sterilize' kills everything.
- sanitize: 'Sanitize' reduces bacteria to safe public health levels, while 'sterilize' eliminates them entirely.
- contaminate: 'Contaminate' means to introduce unwanted microbes, the exact opposite of sterilizing.
Commonly confused with
- pasteurize: 'Pasteurize' uses mild heat to kill pathogens while preserving flavor, leaving some harmless bacteria alive, while 'sterilize' uses extreme heat to kill all life.
Word family
- sterilization (noun): The process of making something free from microorganisms.
- sterile (adjective): Free from bacteria or other living microorganisms.
Collocations
- sterilize equipment
- thoroughly sterilize
- sterilize by boiling
Example sentences
- "You must sterilize the glass jars in boiling water for ten minutes to prevent the growth of deadly botulism spores." A critical step in home canning safety.
- "The microbiologist used an autoclave to sterilize the growth media before inoculating it with the target strain." A description of laboratory preparation.
Memory hook
Think of a 'sterile' hospital room. It is so clean and barren of germs that not a single microbe can live there. Sterilize means no microbes survive.
When not to use
Do not use when referring to simple washing or cleaning that leaves some bacteria alive.
Fun facts
- Nicolas Appert, the French inventor of canning in 1809, successfully sterilized food in glass jars using boiling water, even though he had no idea that bacteria existed—Pasteur didn't prove germ theory until 50 years later!
Related words
Explore more words
sterile, incinerate, pristine, standardize, preserve, biodegradable
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