sterilize

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: ster=i=lize

CIDE DICTIONARY

sterilize, v. t. [Cf. F. stériliser.].

•  To make sterile or unproductive; to impoverish, as land; to exhaust of fertility.  Woodward.  [1913 Webster]
•  To deprive of the power of reproducing; to render incapable of germination or fecundation; to make sterile.
•  To destroy all spores or germs in (an organic fluid or mixture) or on (a medical instrument), as by heat, so as to prevent contamination by bacteria or other organisms. A common method of sterilization in laboratories and medical facilities is to heat a liquid sample or an instrument in an autoclave.  [1913 Webster]
•  To destroy all spores or germs on (a surface) by wetting with an antiseptic liquid, such as an alcoholic solution.  [PJC]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

sterilize, v.tr. (also -ise)
1 make sterile.
2 deprive of the power of reproduction.

Derivative

sterilizable adj. sterilization n. sterilizer n.

THESAURUS

sterilize

alter, antisepticize, autoclave, boil, castrate, change, chlorinate, clean, cleanse, decontaminate, delouse, demasculinize, depurate, desex, desexualize, devitalize, disinfect, effeminize, emasculate, enervate, etiolate, exhaust, fix, fumigate, geld, hygienize, mutilate, neuter, pasteurize, purify, sanitate, sanitize, spay, unman, unnerve, unsex

ROGET THESAURUS

sterilize

Preservation

VB preserve, maintain, keep, sustain, support, hold, keep up, keep alive, refrigerate, keep on ice, not willingly let die, bank up, nurse, save, rescue, be safe, make safe, take care of, guard, stare super antiquas vias, hold one's own, hold one's ground, stand one's ground, embalm, cure, salt, pickle, season, kyanize, bottle, pot, tin, can, sterilize, pasteurize, radiate, dry, lyophilize, freeze- dry, concentrate, evaporate, freeze, quick-freeze, deep-freeze, husband.

Impotence

VB be impotent, not have a leg to stand on, vouloir rompre l'anguille au genou, vouloir prendre la lune avec les dents, collapse, faint, swoon, fall into a swoon, drop, go by the board, go by the wayside, go up in smoke, end in smoke, render powerless, deprive of power, disable, disenable, disarm, incapacitate, disqualify, unfit, invalidate, deaden, cramp, tie the hands, double up, prostrate, paralyze, muzzle, cripple, becripple, maim, lame, hamstring, draw the teeth of, throttle, strangle, garrotte, garrote, ratten, silence, sprain, clip the wings of, put hors de combat, spike the guns, take the wind out of one's sails, scotch the snake, put a spoke in one's wheel, break the neck, break the back, unhinge, unfit, put out of gear, unman, unnerve, enervate, emasculate, castrate, geld, alter, neuter, sterilize, fix, shatter, exhaust, weaken.

Unproductiveness

VB be unproductive, hang fire, flash in the pan, come to nothing, sterilize, addle, disable, inactivate.