Sterilize

Verb

 * 1) To deprive a male or female the ability to procreate.
 * 2) To make unable to produce. To make unprofitable.
 * 3)  To kill, deactivate (denature), or destroy (break apart) all living, viable microorganisms and spores that would be on a surface, in a fluid, or contained in a compound, such as culture media or a medical product.

Related terms

 * sterile
 * sterilization

Thesaurus
alter, antisepticize, autoclave, boil, castrate, change, chlorinate, clean, cleanse, decontaminate, delouse, demasculinize, depurate, desex, desexualize, devitalize, disinfect, effeminize, emasculate, enervate, etiolate, exhaust, fix, fumigate, geld, hygienize, mutilate, neuter, pasteurize, purify, sanitate, sanitize, spay, unman, unnerve, unsex

Alternative forms

 * sterilise (UK)

Translations

 * Chinese: 消炎 (xiaoyan)
 * Czech:
 * Dutch: steriliseer
 * Finnish:
 * French:
 * German:
 * Greek: αποστειρώσει (aposteirósei)


 * Hungarian: sterilizál
 * Italian:
 * Japanese: 殺菌する (sakkin suru)
 * Korean: 살균하십시요 (salgyunhasipsiyo)
 * Latin: sterilizare
 * Russian: простерилизовать (prosterilizovat')
 * Spanish:


 * Finnish:


 * Czech:
 * Finnish:


 * French: stériliser
 * German: ,
 * Hungarian: sterilizál