aseptic

adjective

asep·​tic (ˌ)ā-ˈsep-tik 

ə-

1

a

: preventing infection

aseptic techniques

b

: free or freed from pathogenic microorganisms

an aseptic operating room

2

: lacking vitality, emotion, or warmth

aseptic essays

aseptically

(ˌ)ā-ˈsep-ti-k(ə-)lē 

ə-

adverb

Did you know?

Things cleaned specifically in a way that prevents infection were first described as aseptic in the 19th century. The word combines the prefix a-, meaning "not," and septic, from Greek sēptikos, meaning "putrifying." Aseptic was preceded by more than a century by antiseptic (from anti-, meaning "opposing," and sēptikos), which entered English with the meaning "opposing sepsis, putrefaction, or decay." Both words can also be used, like sterile, to suggest a lack of emotion, warmth, or interest. Evelyn Toynton used aseptic thus in The New York Times Book Review, November 22, 1987: "It's hard not to feel that an element of romance has been lost, that the vast chilly reaches of outer space are a pretty aseptic substitute for the shadowy depths under the ground.…"

Synonyms

• germfree
• hygienic
• sanitary
• sterile

Examples of aseptic in a Sentence

patients with compromised immune systems must be treated in aseptic environments

Recent Examples on the Web

The condition, known as aseptic arthritis, may also be accompanied by skin sores and fever.26 Sepsis: The spread of N. gonorrhoeae into the bloodstream can also trigger an immune reaction known as sepsis. —James Myhre & Dennis Sifris, Md, Verywell Health, 14 Sep. 2024

Gehl started his food manufacturing career as a fourth-generation employee at his family's business, Gehl Foods in Germantown, where its aseptic manufacturing plant still operates. —Angelika Ytuarte, Journal Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2024

In my neighborhood, for example, the Duke and University of North Carolina health systems could extend their brand differentiation into their telehealth operations, which could otherwise function as rather aseptic standalone systems. —Deepak Sirdeshmukh, STAT, 3 May 2024

While commuting to other, similarly aseptic indoor spaces—co-working offices, movie theaters, friends’ apartments—I’ll skirt around pigeons, avert my eyes from a gnarly rat, shudder at the odd scuttling cockroach. —Hannah Seo, The Atlantic, 13 Nov. 2023

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

circa 1859, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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Kids Definition

aseptic

adjective

asep·​tic (ˈ)ā-ˈsep-tik 

ə-

: preventing infection

also : free or freed from disease-causing germs

aseptically

-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

aseptic

adjective

asep·​tic -ˈsep-tik 

1

: preventing or not involving infection

aseptic techniques

2

: free or freed from pathogenic microorganisms

an aseptic wound

an aseptic operating room

aseptically

-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb