Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- adj. Of, relating to, or producing antisepsis.
- adj. Capable of preventing infection by inhibiting the growth of microorganisms.
- adj. Thoroughly clean; aseptic. See Synonyms at clean.
- adj. Of or associated with the use of antiseptics.
- adj. Devoid of enlivening or enriching qualities: "This is . . . not at all lighthearted or amiable music. In fact, the tone is unremittingly sober and antiseptic” ( Donal Henahan).
- adj. Free of disturbing or unpleasant features; sanitized: an antiseptic version of history.
- n. A substance that inhibits the growth and reproduction of disease-causing microorganisms.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- Pertaining to antisepsis; inimical to the growth and activity of the micro-organisms of disease, putrefaction, or fermentation.
- n. Anything which destroys the microorganisms of disease, putrefaction, or fermentation, or which restricts their growth and multiplication. Substances used for this purpose are corrosive sublimate, chlorinated lime, carbolic acid, sulphurous acid, etc. See
disinfectant and germicide.
Wiktionary
- adj. Of, or relating to antisepsis, or the use of antiseptics.
- adj. Capable of preventing microbial infection.
- adj. Very clean; aseptic.
- adj. Free of unpleasantness; sanitized or bowdlerized.
- n. Any substance that inhibits the growth and reproduction of microorganisms. Generally includes only those that are used on living objects (as opposed to disinfectants) and aren't transported by the lymphatic system to destroy bacteria in the body (as opposed to antibiotics).
GNU Webster's 1913
- adj. Counteracting or preventing putrefaction, or a putrescent tendency in the system; antiputrefactive.
- n. a substance which kills or retards the growth of microorganisms, especially when used for protection against infection; a substance which prevents or retards putrefaction, or destroys, or protects from, putrefactive organisms; as, carbolic acid, alcohol, cinchona, and many other agents sold commercially.
WordNet 3.0
- adj. thoroughly clean and free of or destructive to disease-causing organisms
- adj. devoid of objectionable language
- adj. freeing from error or corruption
- adj. clean and honest
- n. a substance that destroys micro-organisms that carry disease without harming body tissues
Etymologies
- anti- + septic (Wiktionary)
Examples
“This, then, is what Tom Friedman — in antiseptic language designed to leave elite consciences undisturbed — would like to portray as successful American policy: Using the Iraqi people as bait to attract jihadists from around the region and distract them from attacking the American homeland.”
“The best antiseptic is sunshine and the more the issue is discussed, better solutions begin presenting themselves.”
“I actually love these juices in antiseptic packages, lychee, black currant, passionfruit.”
“Pasteur had indeed already published by then his epoch-making work, which laid the foundations of bacteriology, and medical art had already gathered in one very beneficial fruit which stemmed from this work, namely the antiseptic method of treating wounds proposed by Lister.”
“The fermentive action of the bile is trifling; it dissolves fats, to a certain extent, and is antiseptic, that is, it prevents putrefaction to which the chyme might be liable; it also seems to act as a natural purgative.”
“It is antiseptic, that is, it prevents and removes putrifaction; for this purpose, it should be taken in a decoction internally and applied externally in poultice.”
“In fact, what truly prevents Modi from taking the grand leap of his imagination — that is, remaking Gujarat into a kind of antiseptic global entrepôt, like Singapore and Dubai — is the ball-and-chain reality of the Indian landscape itself.”
“African Americans, especially, have always used humor as a kind of antiseptic to heal past traumas that have seeped into the present.”
The Huffington Post: Where's Dave Chappelle When You Need Him?
“Take just a few steps back and fully understand that until only 50 years ago, almost every chemical found under almost every kitchen and bathroom sink in the developed world today existed only in chemistry labs -- and now they are part and parcel of products that have been marketed to us as "new and improved," "germ-fighting," "antiseptic," and "essential" to modern life.”
“They treat me with some kind of antiseptic cream and then a poultice of baking soda and water and an improvised ice pack a Ziploc bag with ice cubes to reduce the swelling.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘antiseptic’.
-
GRE Barrons Wordlist
A complete Barron's Wordlist for GRE preparation. Your online flashcard replacement.
abase, abash, abate, abbreviate, abdicate, aberrant, aberration, abet, abeyance, abhor, abject, abjure and 4087 more...
-
Interesting words
A list of words that are odd or words that I have looked up.
concupiscence, brize, scree, scoria, forestaff, spanaemia, valetudinarianism, distasture, pyrethrum, laudanum, gentian, bicameral and 11184 more...
-
tatterdemalion's list
chrysalis, colloquy, peroration, syncretism, dickering, gamelan, dictatress, adventurism, untenable, presumption of fa..., lovelorn, bawdily and 47 more...
-
devon.varoz
furnish, revolver, mezzanine, use, chiefly, fatherland, space, pastoral, egg, whitely, disco, squalor and 1 more...
-
big book gre
abase, abbess, abbey, abbot, abdicate, abdomen, abdominal, abduction, abed, aberration, abet, abeyance and 6689 more...
-
Just 'cause I like 'em, A
abaculus, abacus, abaft, abarticular, abbreviate, abeyance, abiding, anthocyanin, antemeridian, arcane, adjure, adduce and 418 more...
-
Words I Know
List of most of the words I've learned
garner, abase, abate, abdicate, abduct, aberration, abet, abhor, abide, abject, abjure, abnegation and 1046 more...
-
SAT Vocab
Redundant.
problematic, proclivity, prodigal, prodigious, prodigy, profane, profligate, profound, profusion, proliferation, prolific, prologue and 455 more...
-
GRE
Taisha GRE Bible
archaic, archetype, archipelago, architect, archive, arctic, ardor, arduous, argot, arid, armory, arrest and 289 more...
-
old faves
ones I already liked
vacuole, organelle, debauchle, voluptuous, spry, cattywampus, obscure, occlude, occult, celtic, voracious, ardently and 133 more...
-
ash
ash
abash, abate, abbreviate, abdicate, aberrant, aberration, abet, abeyance, abhor, abide, abject, abjure and 4874 more...
-
maniacalcam's Words
maniacal, salubrious, veld, winter, morass, insipid, morose, lecherous, surly, jiffer, dipshit, erstwhile and 9 more...
-
CravinforClavin's Words
bellicose, megalopolis, spurious, interstitial, elegiac, crushing, proselytize, strident, hirsute, peripatetic, stultify, apoplectic and 66 more...
-
the martian chron
valise, rime, Lazarus, fount, sprocket, okapi, agate, prow, flange, centrifugal pump, russet, bellows and 69 more...
-
Mental lexicon supplies
puerile, pique, arcane, sophistry, cerebral, antiseptic, insouciance, nadir, prolix, avuncular, gauche, soporific and 44 more...
-
A is for Agent Orange
My A words
abracadabra, agent orange, akimbo, ale, algorithm, anachronism, anachronistic, ankle-biter, ants in your pants, appaloosa, applejack, applesauce and 40 more...
Tweets
Looking for tweets for antiseptic.
Comments
No comments yet...
Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.