🦠 A germ killer 🦠 Germ-killing

antimicrobic

6.6

Able to kill germs and stop their growth

adjective
/ˌæntiˈmaɪkroʊbɪk/

Specialized

: antimicrobiano

Some essential oils have notable antimicrobic properties that can help prevent infections.

Examples

The doctor prescribed an antimicrobic ointment to treat the infection.
The hospital uses antimicrobic solutions to clean the surgical instruments.
Some essential oils have notable antimicrobic properties.
This laboratory tests the antimicrobic activity of new pharmaceutical compounds.
This cream is antimicrobic.
The doctor prescribed an antimicrobic ointment to treat the infection.
The hospital uses antimicrobic solutions to ensure the cleanliness of surgical instruments.

Synonyms

antimicrobial

vsantimicrobic

Specialized

3 5.1

That kills or stops the growth of germs that cause disease

has identical meaning but differs in word form

germicidal

vsantimicrobic

1 6.8

Able to kill germs or stop them from growing

focuses specifically on disease causing microorganisms rather than all germs

microbicidal

vsantimicrobic

Specialized

1 7.7

Able to kill germs like bacteria and viruses

also includes inhibiting microorganism growth, not only killing them

How Antimicrobic

sterilant

Specialized

1 7.2

microbicidal

Specialized

1 7.7

antimicrobic

Specialized

6.6

ineffective

83 3.4

Surface Forms

antimicrobic positive

Morphology

antimicrobic = microbic (semi-transparent) = anti + microbe + ic

The adjective is straightforwardly formed with anti- added to microbic, though the term is somewhat technical.

Etymology

Antimicrobic combines anti- 'against' and microbe 'tiny life', like the 'micro' in microscope, so when something is called antimicrobic it can kill or stop the growth of germs.