germicide

noun

ger·mi·cide | \ ˈjər-mə-ˌsīd

plural germicides

Definition of germicide

: something (such as an antiseptic or disinfectant) that destroys or inactivates pathogens (such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi) : an agent or preparation that is effective against germs A better solution for people with babies or immune-compromised patients at home is to use an alcohol-based gel, which kills germs by drying them out. Last week the CDC recommended these waterless germicides even in hospitals.— Bret Begun Most cationic surfactants behave as germicides.— Des W. Connell

Examples of germicide in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web According to a news release, Enviro-Master uses a non-toxic, non-corrosive and food-safe germicide that's dispensed from an electrostatic sprayer, basically the equivalent of a proton pack for germs. — Slone Terranella, Detroit Free Press, 3 Dec. 2020

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

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Dictionary Entries Near germicide

germicidal

germicide

germinability

Statistics for germicide

Cite this Entry

“Germicide.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/germicide. Accessed 1 Jul. 2022.

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More Definitions for germicide

germicide

noun

ger·mi·cide | \ ˈjər-mə-ˌsīd

Medical Definition of germicide

: something (as an antiseptic or disinfectant) that destroys or inactivates pathogens (as bacteria, viruses, and fungi) : an agent or preparation that is effective against germs According to the CDC, some commercially available germicides can rapidly kill ordinary vegetative forms of bacteria such as staphylococci and streptococci …— Dan Scungio, Medical Laboratory Observer Most cationic surfactants behave as germicides.— Des W. Connell, Basic Concepts of Environmental Chemistry