sterilizer

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noun

A device used to sterilize, killing pathogens by means such as heat, UV light, chemicals, etc.

“The hospital was in trouble when the sterilizer broke; they almost had to shut down the operating room.”

Similar
autoclavesteriliser
OriginEnglish sterilize →
UncommonScrabble 19
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Meanings

nounsterilizer (plural sterilizers)

plural sterilizers · alternative steriliser

  1. A device used to sterilize, killing pathogens by means such as heat, UV light, chemicals, etc.

    The hospital was in trouble when the sterilizer broke; they almost had to shut down the operating room.

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna device for heating substances above their boiling point; used to manufacture chemicals or to sterilize surgical instruments

Similar
autoclavesteriliser
Broader
vessel
Also see
autoclave

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Englishsterile
  2. Englishsterilize
  3. Englishsterilizer

From sterilize + -er.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish sterilaattori, sterilisaattori
  • sterilaattoria device used to sterilize
  • sterilisaattoria device used to sterilize
French stérilisateur
  • stérilisateura device used to sterilize
Greek αποστειρωτήρας
  • αποστειρωτήρας (aposteirotíras)a device used to sterilize
Hungarian sterilizátor
  • sterilizátora device used to sterilize
Italian sterilizzante, sterilizzatore
  • sterilizzantea device used to sterilize
  • sterilizzatorea device used to sterilize
Romanian sterilizator
  • sterilizatora device used to sterilize
Spanish esterilizador
  • esterilizadora device used to sterilize
Cite this entry
APA

sterilizer. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sterilizer

MLA

“sterilizer.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sterilizer. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sterilizer,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sterilizer.

Source: sterilizer on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.