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Glite Dictionary
to disinfest

to disinfest

8.8
To remove insects and other pests from a place using chemicals or traps
  • verb
  • /ˌdɪsɪnˈfɛst/
  • Specialized
translation icon : desinfestar
  • The exterminator will disinfest the house to eliminate any remaining pests.

Examples

  • Farmers often need to disinfest their crops to ensure they are free from harmful insects.

  • Irradiation, one option for disinfesting the fruit, doesn't comply with organic produce standards.

    Academic text (2004)

  • Japan is particularly stringent about what phytosanitary methods it will accept for disinfesting fresh produce.

    Academic text (2003)

  • We hired a professional to disinfest the kitchen after noticing a mice problem.

Synonyms

to exterminate
vsto disinfest
  • NSFW
60 6.9

To destroy something completely, often on purpose

focuses on removing pests from places rather than total destruction
to purge
vsto disinfest
49 6.3

To remove unwanted substances, things, or people by cleaning

is specific to getting pests out of places by chemical or physical means
to fumigate
vsto disinfest
14 7.6

To treat a place with strong chemicals to kill pests and germs

is broader, applying chemical or physical methods to remove pests
to fume
vsto disinfest
  • Specialized
1 7.4

To treat a place or object with gas to kill pests

is broader, using chemical or physical ways beyond only fumes

How Thorough

to eradicate
85 6.6
to disinfest
  • Specialized
8.8
to remove
∞ 1.5
to chase away
26 2.6

Surface Forms

disinfest infinitive
disinfested past
disinfested past participle
disinfesting present participle
disinfests third person singular

Morphology

disinfest = infest (semi-transparent) = dis + infest

If a learner knows 'infest', they can often infer 'remove infestation from', but the specialized pest-control sense and argument reversal make it less fully straightforward than ordinary negation.

Etymology

The word disinfest begins with the prefix dis- meaning 'away' or 'remove' and the part infest meaning 'to fill with pests', as in infestation. So, disinfest literally means to send pests 'away', to remove insects or vermin from a place.