antiseptic

an·ti·sep·tic | \ ˌan-tə-ˈsep-tik

Definition of antiseptic

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : opposing sepsis, putrefaction, or decay especially : preventing or arresting the growth of microorganisms (as on living tissue) an antiseptic solution

b : acting or protecting like an antiseptic an antiseptic mouthwash

2 : relating to or characterized by the use of antiseptics antiseptic treatment

3a : scrupulously clean : aseptic antiseptic surgical instruments

b : extremely neat or orderly especially : neat to the point of being bare or uninteresting a spare, antiseptic waiting room

c : free from what is held to be contaminating an antiseptic version of rustic life

4a : coldly impersonal an antiseptic greeting

b : of, relating to, or being warfare conducted with cold precision from a safe distance with few or no casualties on one's side antiseptic bombings

antiseptic

noun

Definition of antiseptic (Entry 2 of 2)

: a substance that inhibits the growth or action of microorganisms especially in or on living tissue clean the wound with an antiseptic also : germicide

Other Words from antiseptic Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about antiseptic

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Examples of antiseptic in a Sentence

Adjective known for keeping a strenuously antiseptic kitchen, the floor of which does indeed seem fit for eating off of for such an expensive, elegant Sunday brunch, one would expect the attendants at the buffet tables to be professionally attired in starched, antiseptic white jackets Noun Clean the affected area with an antiseptic. He applied antiseptic to the wound.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective No more than 150 square feet, the antiseptic, windowless space is directly across from a pair of automatic sliding doors leading straight out into the facility's back parking lot. — Connor Sheets | Csheets@al.com, al, "Rural hospital in Alabama prepares for coronavirus: ‘It’s coming’," 18 Mar. 2020 Hippos release something called blood mucus, which works as a sunscreen, bug repellant and antiseptic. — Briana Rice, Cincinnati.com, "10 facts about Cincinnati Zoo's Fiona the hippo you may not have known," 17 Mar. 2020 The products that shoppers reported being out-of-stock include hand sanitizer (20%), bottled water (15%), mask/filtering respirator (13%), and antiseptic wipes (12%). — Lance Lambert, Fortune, "Exclusive: 1 in 3 Americans were already stocking up on supplies before coronavirus was ruled a pandemic," 13 Mar. 2020 But Alverson, a committed formalist whose antiseptic still images, beautifully captured by Lorenzo Hagerman, are more slide show than narrative, isn’t interested in your desire for a resolution that makes sense. — Robert Abele, chicagotribune.com, "‘The Mountain’ review: Jeff Goldblum plays a traveling doctor on a grisly mission," 26 Sep. 2019 Such non-alcohol antiseptic products may not work as well for many types of germs, the CDC says, or may merely reduce the growth of germs rather than killing them. — Marshall Allen, ProPublica, "You Might Be Buying a Hand Sanitizer That Won’t Work for Coronavirus," 6 Mar. 2020 Gauze bandages, antibacterial ointment, antiseptic wipes and non-latex gloves are among the items recommended by FEMA and the American Red Cross. — USA Today, "How to prepare for coronavirus: The shopping list for your own home quarantine kit," 4 Mar. 2020 The red boxes contain gloves, a breathing mask, antiseptic wipes and instructions on how to give somebody naloxone. — oregonlive, "Oregon to urge workplace readiness for opioid overdoses," 20 Nov. 2019 Dickson speculates that Ötzi may have known about the bogmoss's antiseptic properties and used it to dress his deep hand wound. — Megan Gannon, National Geographic, "Scientists reconstruct Ötzi the Iceman’s frantic final climb," 30 Oct. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun In a big case in 2016, Hexi Pharma, a supplier of antiseptics to 350 public hospitals, was found to have diluted them significantly. — The Economist, "Romania’s health-care system, the EU’s worst, struggles to reform," 21 Nov. 2019 Just as Joseph Lister pioneered the use of antiseptics in medicine from the 1860s onwards, disposable dressings gradually became the norm. — Alice Bell, CNN, "Can science break its plastic addiction?," 5 Nov. 2019 But from this senseless horror came good: the use of antiseptics was quickly accepted by American doctors. — CBS News, "How doctors killed President Garfield," 5 July 2012 The concept of disinfecting our hands with antiseptics is a medical innovation that dates to the early 1820s, when doctors started moistening their hands with liquid chlorides to help contain the spread of contagious diseases. — Elizabeth Kiefer, Washington Post, "Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are still a safe bet," 10 June 2019 These are antiseptics which will help to prevent infection. 2. — Carolyn Twersky, Seventeen, "The Correct Way to Pop a Pimple," 21 Dec. 2018 As the importance of antiseptics became more widely understood, white was also thought to have the advantage of showing any soiling. — The Economist, "Making medical clothing that kills bugs," 28 June 2018 Before antiseptics, many patients perished at the hands of their surgeon. — Atlas Obscura, RedEye Chicago, "Explore Chicago: Visit the International Museum of Surgical Science," 17 Apr. 2018 Get our daily newsletter Of the drugs in the study, 156 were antibacterials (144 antibiotics and 12 antiseptics). — The Economist, "Non-antibiotic drugs promote antibiotic resistance," 19 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'antiseptic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for antiseptic

Adjective

borrowed from New Latin antisepticus, from anti- anti- + Latin sēpticus "putrefactive, septic"

Note: New Latin antisepticus is first found in the writing of the Dutch physician Herman Boerhaave (1668-1738), e.g., Libellus de materie medica et remediorum formulis (Leiden, 1719), and may have been coined by him.

Noun

borrowed from New Latin antiseptica, antisepticum, noun derivatives of antisepticus antiseptic entry 1

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