Sterilisations

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The process of making something free from bacteria or living microorganisms; the act of rendering an organism incapable of reproduction; a medical procedure aimed at preventing future pregnancies through surgical or non-surgical methods
2. The act of eliminating all forms of life, including bacteria, from a surface or an instrument; a procedure that results in the permanent inability to conceive offspring; a systematic technique used in healthcare to control fertility
3. A technique to ensure an item is devoid of microbial life; a medical intervention designed to prevent procreation; a sterilization process that can apply to both equipment and individuals

Etymology: "Sterilisations" is simply the plural of "sterilisation", so it is the form of that noun for several separate acts of making something sterile. The base noun comes from "sterilise", which in turn derives from "sterile", borrowed from Latin "sterilis", meaning barren or unproductive. The Latin root gave English a sense of infertility first, and the broader sense of being free from living microbes came later, as the word was applied to germs and medicine. Each plural instance covers either a process applied to objects, such as surgical instruments or glassware, or a medical procedure performed on people to prevent conception. The English noun ending "-ation" marks the act or result of the verb, so "sterilisation" names the process itself, and the plural counts repeated instances of it.