Sterilize (Verb)
Meaning 1
Make infertile; "in some countries, people with genetically transmissible disabilites are sterilized".
Classification
Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care.
Examples
- Some eugenics programs have historically focused on sterilizing those with intellectual disabilities.
- The laws in that country forced certain groups to undergo procedures to sterilize them.
- They wanted to sterilize people who had diseases thought to be hereditary.
- Many female inmates were forcibly sterilized as part of an inhumane government program.
- Forced sterilization of vulnerable individuals remains a major human rights concern today.
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Meaning 2
Make free from bacteria.
Classification
Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care.
Examples
- To kill bacteria and keep the medical equipment clean, sterilize all the instruments after each use.
- The doctor had to sterilize her hands before performing the surgery.
- In order to ensure the baby's health, bottles and pacifiers must be sterilized regularly.
- The lab technician used an autoclave to sterilize the equipment before every experiment.
- You can sterilize water by boiling it for at least one minute to kill bacteria and other microorganisms.