Standard Lemma guide

bactericide

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /bækˈtɪəɹ.ɪˌsaɪd/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Any substance that kills bacteria, especially one that is otherwise harmless.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

any drug that destroys bacteria or inhibits their growth

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: antibacterial, antibacterial drug

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: medicine, medication, medicament, medicinal drug

Narrower terms: antibiotic, antibiotic drug, azithromycin, Zithromax, dapsone, dicloxacillin, Dynapen, hexachlorophene, isoniazid, INH, Nydrazid, methenamine, Mandelamine, Urex, nalidixic acid, NegGram, Neosporin, nitrofurantoin, Macrodantin, rifampin, Rifadin, Rimactane, sulfa drug, sulfa, sulpha, sulfonamide, tetracycline, Achromycin, gentian violet, crystal violet

3

noun

Meaning 3

any chemical agent that destroys bacteria

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bacteriacide

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: chemical, chemical substance

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Ancient Greek βακτηρία (baktēría) Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Ancient Greek -ῐος (-ĭos)? Ancient Greek -ιον (-ion) Ancient Greek βακτήριον (baktḗrion)bor. New Latin bactēriumbor. English bacterium Proto-Indo-European *kh2eyd-der. Proto-Italic *kaidō Latin caedō Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-eh2 Proto-Italic *-ā Latin -a Latin -cīdader. Middle French -cidebor. English -cide English bactericide From bacterium + -cide.

Across languages

Translations

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Belarusian: бактэрыцыд (bakterycyd) — Any substance that kills bacteria
  • Catalan: bactericida — Any substance that kills bacteria
  • Czech: baktericid — Any substance that kills bacteria
  • Finnish: bakterisidi — Any substance that kills bacteria
  • Icelandic: gerlabani — Any substance that kills bacteria
  • Icelandic: bakteríueyðir — Any substance that kills bacteria
  • Ido: bakteriocidivo — Any substance that kills bacteria
  • Irish: baictéiricíd — Any substance that kills bacteria
  • Malay: bakterisid — Any substance that kills bacteria
  • Polish: bakteriocyd — Any substance that kills bacteria
  • Russian: бактерицид (baktericid) — Any substance that kills bacteria
  • Spanish: bactericida — Any substance that kills bacteria
  • Ukrainian: бактерицид (bakterycyd) — Any substance that kills bacteria