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sterilize

UK:^*^*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈstɛrɪlaɪz/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈstɛrəˌlaɪz/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(ster′ə līz′)

Inflections of 'sterilize' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

sterilizes: v 3rd person singular (US & UK)

sterilizing: v pres p (US & UK)

sterilized: v past (US & UK)

sterilized: v past p (US & UK)

ster•i•lize /ˈstɛrəˌlaɪz/USA pronunciation v. [~ + object], -lized, -liz•ing.

Laboratoryto cleanse by destroying bacteria, microorganisms, parasites, etc., usually by heating at a high temperature:sterilized the operating instruments.
Medicine, Surgeryto make or cause (a person or animal) to be unable to produce young, by removing or interfering with the normal operation of the sex organs.

ster•i•li•za•tion /ˌstɛrələˈzeɪʃən/USA pronunciation n. [uncountable]To control population growth the government forced women who had more than one child to undergo sterilization.[countable]The number of sterilizations increased in the last decade.
ster•i•liz•er, n. [countable]

ster•i•lize (ster′ə līz′),USA pronunciation v.t., -lized, -liz•ing.

Laboratory, Medicineto destroy microorganisms in or on, usually by bringing to a high temperature with steam, dry heat, or boiling liquid.
Medicine, Surgeryto destroy the ability of (a person or animal) to reproduce by removing the sex organs or inhibiting their functions.
Agriculture, Botanyto make (land) barren or unproductive.
Informal Termsto delete or remove anything comprising or damaging from:to sterilize a government document before releasing it to the press.
Informal Termsto isolate or completely protect from unwanted, unauthorized, or unwholesome activities, attitudes, influences, etc.:You can't sterilize children against violence.

Also,[esp. Brit.,] ster′i•lise′.

sterile + -ize 1685–95

ster′i•liz′a•ble, adj.
ster′i•liz′a•bil′i•ty, n.
ster′i•liz′er, n.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

sterilize, sterilise /ˈstɛrɪˌlaɪz/ vb

(transitive) to render sterile; make infertile or barren

'sterilize' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):

scald - chemosterilize - desterilize - -ize - retort

Synonyms: asepticize, asepticise, disinfect, decontaminate, incapacitate, more...

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⇱ sterilize - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

sterilize