adj · noun · 4 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
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/dɪs.ɪnˈfɛktənt/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:D IH0 S IH0 N F EH1 K T AH0 N T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Serving to kill germs or viruses.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Examples
I washed repeatedly with a disinfectant soap but I still caught the flu.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A substance that kills germs or viruses.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
The scalpels were soaked in disinfectant before the operation so disease wouldn't be spread.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adjective satellite
Meaning 3
preventing infection by inhibiting the growth or action of microorganisms
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: bactericidal, germicidal
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
an agent (as heat or radiation or a chemical) that destroys microorganisms that might carry disease
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: germicide, antimicrobic, antimicrobial
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: agent
Narrower terms: cetrimide, sodium hypochlorite
History
Etymology
From disinfect + -ant, borrowed from French désinfectant.
Across languages
Translations
49 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Catalan:
desinfectant
— of a substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Chinese Mandarin:
消毒劑 /消毒剂
(Xiāodú jì)
— of a substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Czech:
dezinfekční
— of a substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Danish:
desinficerende
— of a substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Finnish:
desinfiointiaine
— of a substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Galician:
desinfectante
— of a substance which kills germs and/or viruses
German:
desinfizierend
— of a substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Greek:
απολυμαντικός
(apolymantikós)
— of a substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Māori:
patu huakita
— of a substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Occitan:
desinfectant
— of a substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Polish:
dezynfekujący
— of a substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Arabic:
مُطَهِّر
(muṭahhir)
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Armenian:
ախտահանիչ միջոց
(axtahaničʻ miǰocʻ)
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Armenian:
մանրէասպան միջոց
(manrēaspan miǰocʻ)
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Belarusian:
дэзінфекцыйны сродак
(dezinfjekcyjny sródak)
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Belarusian:
дэзінфектант
(dezinfjektant)
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Catalan:
desinfectant
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Chinese Mandarin:
消毒劑 /消毒剂
(xiāodújì)
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Czech:
dezinfekční prostředek
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Danish:
desinfektionsmiddel
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Dutch:
ontsmettingsmiddel
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Dutch:
antisepticum
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Dutch:
desinfectans
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
French:
désinfectant
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Galician:
desinfectante
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
German:
Desinfektionsmittel
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Greek:
απολυμαντικό
(apolymantikó)
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Hindi:
निस्संक्रामक
(nissaṅkrāmak)
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Indonesian:
disinfektan
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Italian:
disinfettante
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Japanese:
消毒剤
(shōdokuzai)
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Kazakh:
зарарсыздандырғыш
(zararsyzdandyrğyş)
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Korean:
소독제
(sodokje)
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Luxembourgish:
Desinfektiounsmëttel
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Malay:
penyahkuman
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Malay:
disinfektan
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Māori:
(rongoā) patu huakita
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Norwegian Bokmål:
desinfeksjonsmiddel
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Norwegian Nynorsk:
desinfeksjonsmiddel
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Occitan:
desinfectant
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Polish:
środek dezynfekujący
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Portuguese:
desinfetante
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Romanian:
dezinfectant
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Russian:
дезинфици́рующее сре́дство
(dezinficírujuščeje srédstvo)
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Spanish:
desinfectante
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Swedish:
desinfektionsmedel
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Tagalog:
pandes-impekta
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Turkish:
dezenfektan
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
Vietnamese:
thuốc tẩy uế
— A substance which kills germs and/or viruses
