disinfection

noun

dis·​in·​fec·​tion ˌdis-in-ˈfek-shən 

plural disinfections

: the act of disinfecting something

especially : the process of using a disinfectant to destroy, inactivate, or significantly reduce the concentration of pathogenic agents (such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi)

Both viruses are susceptible to disinfection by a weak solution of chlorine bleach.

—Margaret Reister

… a virulent strain of antibiotic-resistant bacteria spreads beyond hospital walls, some communities are taking extreme measures such as closing schools for disinfection.

—Laura Landro

Examples of disinfection in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Following the outbreak, the crew aboard the Navigator of the Seas increased cleaning and disinfection procedures aboard the ship, collected stool specimen from people who reported feeling ill and isolated those who reported feeling ill, the CDC said. —Mirna Alsharif, NBC news, 18 July 2025

The discharge in the town of Brookhaven was caused by an electrical malfunction in one of the area’s UV disinfection units, according to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation. —Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 15 Apr. 2025

After the cleaning was completed, the crews planned more work, including disinfection of the area and installation of new pipes. —Mike Baker, New York Times, 3 May 2025

Los Angeles’s drinking water contained the radioactive contaminant uranium, hexavalent chromium, lead and disinfection byproducts. —Sharon Udasin, The Hill, 26 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1722, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for disinfection

• circumspection
• disaffection
• disconnection
• dorsiflexion
• imperfection
• indirection
• insurrection
• intellection
• interjection
• intersection
• introjection
• introspection