Germicide

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A substance used to kill bacteria and other harmful microorganisms to prevent infection or contamination
2. A chemical or material that destroys or inhibits the growth of germs to maintain cleanliness and health
3. An agent applied to surfaces or skin that effectively eliminates germs to reduce the risk of disease

Etymology: Germicide is a plain compound, built from "germ" and the suffix "-cide," and its history is mostly the history of its second half. "Germ" entered English in the sense of a microscopic organism, which is why the word is so recent in its current meaning, while the ending comes from Latin "caedere," meaning "to cut" or "to kill." That verb reached English through Latin "-cida," a form used for killers, and through Middle French "-cide," which took it into the language. The suffix appears in a family of words such as "insecticide" and "pesticide," where it attaches to a target and names the agent that kills it. "Germicide" follows the same pattern, pairing "germ" with the killing element to name a substance that destroys germs.

Synonyms: disinfectant, antiseptic, biocide, sanitizer, sterilant