Meanings
nounsurgical spirit (usually uncountable, plural surgical spirits)
plural surgical spirits
- UKuncountableusuallymedicineEthanol with small quantities of additives (typically 2% castor oil and 0.5% methyl salicylate), used primarily as a topical antiseptic.
Synonyms: rubbing alcohol
Synonyms & antonyms
nounEthanol with small quantities of additives (typically 2% castor oil and 0.5% methyl salicylate), used primarily as a topical antiseptic.
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Translations
Chinese Mandarin 外科消毒酒精
- 外科消毒酒精 (wàikē xiāodú jiǔjīng)ethanol with small quantities of additives
Finnish leikkaussprii
- leikkausspriiethanol with small quantities of additives
French alcool modifié
- alcool modifiéethanol with small quantities of additives
Romanian alcool sanitar
- alcool sanitarethanol with small quantities of additives
Cite this entry
APA
surgical spirit. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/surgical%20spirit
MLA
“surgical spirit.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/surgical%20spirit. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “surgical spirit,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/surgical%20spirit.
Source: surgical spirit on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.