Added 9 October 2026
sterilization
noun
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). More about sterilization at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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The process of treating something to kill or inactivate microorganisms.
Heat sterilization is used during canning so the food can be safely stored for long periods.
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A procedure to permanently prevent an organism from reproducing.
Spaying a cat is a form of sterilization to limit the population growth.
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An instance of a sterilization procedure.
The vet performed several sterilizations this week.
Origin
From sterile + -ization or sterilize + -ation.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)