sanitizer

noun

san·​i·​tiz·​er ˈsa-nə-ˌtī-zər 

plural sanitizers

: a substance or product that is used to reduce or eliminate pathogenic agents (such as bacteria) on surfaces

Sales of alcohol-based hand sanitizers were up nearly 17% as of the first week of September compared to the same period last year …

—Laura Landro

"Carvacrol could potentially be used as a food sanitizer … particularly in conjunction with other antimicrobials," says Kelly Bright, associate research scientist in the department of soil, water, and environmental science at the University of Arizona.

—Daniel Stolt

also : a device used in sanitizing

This ozone-generating sanitizer looks like a miniature tanning bed for your manual toothbrush—and it emits ultraviolet light (UV) to kill 99.9 percent of brush germs.

—Malinda Govoni

Among the equipment that impressed him: … A wall-mounted food sanitizer that diverts water from the sink tap and charges it with ozone before dispensing it through the aerator for produce cleaning.

—Howard Riell

Examples of sanitizer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Use hand sanitizer, try to social distance and wash hands as needed, experts advise. —Erica Lamberg, Fox News, 8 Dec. 2024

Also, insist that staff use hand sanitizer or wash their hands before touching you. —Judy Stone, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024

Jen Lopez, a high school teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District, is constantly replacing pencils, hand sanitizer and tissues for the students in her ethnic studies classes. —Kayla Jimenez, USA TODAY, 26 Nov. 2024

During the pandemic, Air Company switched from distilling vodka to producing hand sanitizer. —Adam Iscoe, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1911, in the meaning defined above