Meanings
alternative anti-microbial
- not comparablemedicineTending to destroy or capable of destroying microbes.
- not comparablemedicinePreventing or counteracting the pathogenic action of microbes.
plural antimicrobials · alternative anti-microbial
- An agent (drug or other substance) that destroys microbes (i.e., kills off a population of them).
- An agent (drug or other substance) that inhibits the growth of microbes but does not kill their whole population.
Synonyms: microbiostatic
- An agent (drug or other substance) that counteracts the pathogenic action of microbes.
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveInhibiting the growth of microbes.
nounAn agent (drug or other substance) that inhibits the growth of microbes but does not kill their whole population.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectivecapable of destroying or inhibiting the growth of disease-causing microorganisms
nounan agent (as heat or radiation or a chemical) that destroys microorganisms that might carry disease
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Translations
Basque antimikrobiar, antimikrobiar
- antimikrobiardestroying microbes
- antimikrobiarinhibiting the growth of microbes
- antimikrobiarpreventing the pathogenic action of microbes
Catalan antimicrobià, antimicrobià
- antimicrobiàdestroying microbes
- antimicrobiàagent that destroys microbes
Czech antimikrobiální
- antimikrobiálnídestroying microbes
Estonian antimikroobne, antimikroobne
- antimikroobnedestroying microbes
- antimikroobneinhibiting the growth of microbes
- antimikroobnepreventing the pathogenic action of microbes
Finnish antimikrobinen, antimikrobinen
- antimikrobinendestroying microbes
- antimikrobineninhibiting the growth of microbes
- antimikrobinenpreventing the pathogenic action of microbes
French antimicrobien, antimicrobien
- antimicrobiendestroying microbes
- antimicrobieninhibiting the growth of microbes
- antimicrobienpreventing the pathogenic action of microbes
- antimicrobienagent that destroys microbes
German antimikrobiell, antimikrobiell
- antimikrobielldestroying microbes
- antimikrobiellinhibiting the growth of microbes
- antimikrobiellpreventing the pathogenic action of microbes
Greek αντιμικροβιακός, αντιμικροβιακός
- αντιμικροβιακός (antimikroviakós)destroying microbes
- αντιμικροβιακός (antimikroviakós)inhibiting the growth of microbes
- αντιμικροβιακός (antimikroviakós)preventing the pathogenic action of microbes
Indonesian antimikroba
- antimikrobaagent that destroys microbes
Irish frithmhiocróbach, frithmhiocróbach
- frithmhiocróbachdestroying microbes
- frithmhiocróbachinhibiting the growth of microbes
- frithmhiocróbachpreventing the pathogenic action of microbes
Italian antimicrobico, antimicrobico
- antimicrobicodestroying microbes
- antimicrobicoinhibiting the growth of microbes
- antimicrobicopreventing the pathogenic action of microbes
Portuguese antimicrobiano, antimicrobiano
- antimicrobianodestroying microbes
- antimicrobianoinhibiting the growth of microbes
- antimicrobianopreventing the pathogenic action of microbes
- antimicrobianoagent that destroys microbes
Russian антимикро́бный, противомикро́бный
- антимикро́бный (antimikróbnyj)destroying microbes
- противомикро́бный (protivomikróbnyj)destroying microbes
- антимикро́бный (antimikróbnyj)inhibiting the growth of microbes
- противомикро́бный (protivomikróbnyj)inhibiting the growth of microbes
- антимикро́бный (antimikróbnyj)preventing the pathogenic action of microbes
- противомикро́бный (protivomikróbnyj)preventing the pathogenic action of microbes
Spanish antimicrobiano, antimicrobiano
- antimicrobianodestroying microbes
- antimicrobianoagent that destroys microbes
Cite this entry
antimicrobial. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antimicrobial
“antimicrobial.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antimicrobial. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “antimicrobial,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antimicrobial.
Source: antimicrobial on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.