bac·te·ri·cid·al
bak-ˌtir-ə-ˈsī-dᵊl 
variants
or less commonly bacteriocidal
: destroying bacteria
bac·te·ri·cide
bak-ˈtir-ə-ˌsīd
variants
or less commonly bacteriocide
plural -s
: something that destroys bacteria
Examples of bactericidal in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Cicadas, dragonflies and many other flying insects have similar wing surfaces that are naturally bactericidal, meaning bacteria killing.
—Ashok Prasad, The Conversation, 26 June 2023
Benzoyl peroxide is a topical bactericidal agent that’s found in many over-the-counter and prescription acne medications.
—Kaitlyn Pirie, Good Housekeeping, 28 Oct. 2021
The team found that the cicada Magicicada cassinii, which emerges every 17 years and has shorter nanopillars, has surface chemicals that by themselves seem to have bactericidal properties—suggesting these cicadas rely more on their chemical components than structure to kill microbes.
—Jillian Kramer, Scientific American, 14 Sep. 2020
Other critics saw his investigations as superfluous, considering that knowledge of the bactericidal effects of UV light had been known for decades.
—Allison Marsh, IEEE Spectrum, 25 Aug. 2020
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Adjective
The evidence for acne is also reasonably consistent, particularly for combination blue- and red-light protocols, where the bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effects appear to be additive.
—Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Cicadas, dragonflies and many other flying insects have similar wing surfaces that are naturally bactericidal, meaning bacteria killing.
—Ashok Prasad, The Conversation, 26 June 2023
Benzoyl peroxide is a topical bactericidal agent that’s found in many over-the-counter and prescription acne medications.
—Kaitlyn Pirie, Good Housekeeping, 28 Oct. 2021
The team found that the cicada Magicicada cassinii, which emerges every 17 years and has shorter nanopillars, has surface chemicals that by themselves seem to have bactericidal properties—suggesting these cicadas rely more on their chemical components than structure to kill microbes.
—Jillian Kramer, Scientific American, 14 Sep. 2020
Other critics saw his investigations as superfluous, considering that knowledge of the bactericidal effects of UV light had been known for decades.
—Allison Marsh, IEEE Spectrum, 25 Aug. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Bactericidal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bactericidal. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
bactericidal
adjective
bac·te·ri·cid·al
bak-ˌtir-ə-ˈsīd-ᵊl
variants
also bacteriocidal
: destroying bacteria
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