Antiseptics

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Substances specifically formulated to kill or inhibit the growth of pathogens and microorganisms, preventing infections and promoting hygiene
2. Compounds intended to reduce or eliminate harmful germs and bacteria on living tissues or surfaces, thus enhancing safety and cleanliness
3. Agents applied to living areas of the body to destroy or stop the growth of infectious organisms and maintain cleanliness

Etymology: "Antiseptics" is the plural of "antiseptic," a noun for substances that kill germs or stop them from multiplying. The adjective "antiseptic" is built from "anti-," meaning "against," and "septic," from Greek "sēptikos," meaning "making putrid" or "causing decay," itself from "sēpein," "to rot." So the word is literally a substance "against rot." The sense of the word was once almost the reverse of its current meaning. "Septic" describes things that cause or involve putrefaction, and an antiseptic was therefore whatever resisted that decay. The modern noun, for a germ-killing agent, follows the same logic: it opposes the processes that make flesh and food go bad.

Synonyms: disinfectants, germicides