verb · 2 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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General-American:/ˈpæst͡ʃəɹaɪz/
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈpɑːstʃəɹaɪz/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To heat food for the purpose of killing harmful organisms such as bacteria, viruses, protozoa, molds, and yeasts.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
heat food in order to kill harmful microorganisms
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
pasteurize milk
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: pasteurize
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: change integrity
History
Etymology
Borrowed from French pasteuriser. From Louis Pasteur, the inventor of the process, + -ise.