antimicrobial

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj

Tending to destroy or capable of destroying microbes.
Inhibiting the growth of microbes.
Preventing or counteracting the pathogenic action of microbes.

noun

An agent (drug or other substance) that destroys microbes (i.e., kills off a population of them).
An agent (drug or other substance) that inhibits the growth of microbes but does not kill their whole population.
An agent (drug or other substance) that counteracts the pathogenic action of microbes.

Pronunciation

/ˌæn.ti.maɪˈkɹəʊ.bi.əl/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-antimicrobial.wav /ˌæn.ti.maɪˈkɹoʊ.bi.əl/ [ˌɛən.ti.maɪˈkɹoʊ.bi.əl] [ˌæn.ti.mʌɪˈkɹoʊ.bi.əl] /ˌæn.ti.mɑɪˈkɹəʉ.bi.əl/ /ˌæn.ti.mɑɪˈkɹɐʉ.bi.əl/ /ˌɛn.ti.maɪˈkɹɐʉ.bi.əl/

Word forms

antimicrobial anti-microbial antimicrobials

Etymology

From anti- + microbe + -ial.

Synonyms

antimicrobic microbiostatic

Derived words

antimicrobicide multiantimicrobial nonantimicrobial photoantimicrobial subantimicrobial

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