disinfect

verb

dis·​in·​fect ˌdis-in-ˈfekt 

disinfected; disinfecting; disinfects

transitive verb

1

: to cleanse (a surface, a device, a supply of water, etc.) by destroying, inactivating, or significantly reducing the concentration of pathogenic agents (such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi) : to treat (something) with a disinfectant (such as chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, or sodium hypochlorite)

… medical experts say some scopes can be difficult to disinfect through conventional cleaning because of their design, so bacteria are transmitted from patient to patient.

—Chad Terhune

Trihalomethanes are chemicals formed when chlorine used to disinfect water reacts with organic matter, such as animal waste, treated sewage, leaves, or soil.

—Emily Main

Clean your humidifier often. Although some parts may be washable in the dishwasher, they still need to be descaled with vinegar and disinfected with bleach.

—Consumer Reports

2

: to relieve (something) of some undesirable quality likened to a disease or infection

But the big question is this: If the bill becomes law, will it truly disinfect our politics?

—Nancy Gibbs and Karen Tumulty

3

: to remove a software virus (see virus sense 3) from (a computer or device) often by means of a special program

The earliest viruses were relatively simple routines, and virus detectors could easily disinfect computers.

—Philips Chien

Examples of disinfect in a Sentence

Chemicals were added to disinfect the water.

The wound needs to be disinfected.

Recent Examples on the Web

So either keep everybody else out of there or commit to disinfecting high-touch surfaces regularly. —Amy Panos, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Feb. 2025

Regularly disinfecting commonly touched surfaces like doorknobs, faucet handles, and on/off light switches helps reduce viral transmission.7 Promote air circulation and ventilation: Ensuring good airflow in indoor spaces reduces the concentration of airborne viruses. —Christopher Bergland, Verywell Health, 13 Jan. 2025

The factory behind the cotton swabs clarified that their products were for medical purposes — and not qualified for DNA testing, according to the publication, which also reported that although cotton swabs are disinfected before leaving the factory, disinfecting them does not remove DNA. —Sean Neumann, People.com, 21 Dec. 2024

Don't forget to disinfect these potentially germ-laden places in your home. —Rabekah Henderson, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle French desinfecter, from des- dis- + infecter to infect

First Known Use

1658, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for disinfect

• architect
• circumspect
• deselect
• dialect
• disconnect
• disrespect
• incorrect
• indirect
• intellect
• interject
• intersect
• pluperfect

Kids Definition

disinfect

verb

dis·​in·​fect ˌdis-ᵊn-ˈfekt 

: to cleanse of germs that might cause disease

disinfection

-ˈfek-shən 

noun

Medical Definition

disinfect

transitive verb

dis·​in·​fect ˌdis-ᵊn-ˈfekt 

: to destroy, inactivate, or significantly reduce the concentration of pathogenic agents (as bacteria, viruses, and fungi) especially on hard surfaces and in water : to treat (something) with a disinfectant (as chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, or sodium hypochlorite)

disinfection

-ˈfek-shən 

noun