How Do You Spell STERILIZE?

Pronunciation: [stˈɛɹə͡lˌa͡ɪz] (IPA)

The word "sterilize" is often misspelled. The correct spelling of "sterilize" is /ˈstɛrəlaɪz/. It can be confusing because of its suffix "-ize", which is commonly used in verbs that originate from Greek or Latin. But, the root word "sterile" is of French origin. Additionally, it is spelled with only one "l" and one "z" in American English. Double "l" and "z" are used in British English, which makes it even more confusing! Remember to spell it correctly next time you sterilize your things.

STERILIZE Meaning and Definition

  1. To sterilize means to eliminate or destroy all forms of life, especially microorganisms such as bacteria or viruses, rendering an object or environment free from pathogenic organisms that could cause infection or disease. This process aims to make something completely clean and safe for use, typically by using heat, chemicals, or other methods to kill or remove any potentially harmful organisms.

    In medical and healthcare settings, sterilization is crucial to ensure the safety of patients and limit the spread of infections. This can include sterilizing medical equipment, instruments, surgical tools, and supplies before they are used in procedures, preventing the transmission of disease-causing agents.

    The process of sterilization can involve various techniques such as heat sterilization (using steam or dry heat), sterilizing chemicals (like ethylene oxide or hydrogen peroxide), radiation (such as gamma rays or ultraviolet light), or filtration methods that remove or kill microorganisms. Each technique is tailored to the specific object or material being sterilized, taking into account factors like its heat resistance, sensitivity to chemicals, or ability to withstand radiation.

    Beyond medical settings, sterilization is also commonly employed in the food industry to ensure the safety and extend the shelf life of perishable products. This includes techniques like pasteurization, canning, or irradiation, which eradicate or inhibit the growth of bacteria, fungi, or other pathogens in food.

    In summary, sterilization refers to a process that eradicates all forms of life, particularly microorganisms, from an object or environment, making it free from harmful organisms and safe to use.

  2. To render sterile; to castrate; to make aseptic.

    A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

Top Common Misspellings for STERILIZE *

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for STERILIZE

Etymology of STERILIZE

The word "sterilize" has its roots in the Latin word "sterilis", meaning "barren" or "unfruitful". This Latin term eventually gave rise to the French word "steriliser", which meant "to make barren" or "to render infertile". The word later entered the English language in the 17th century with the same meaning. Over time, "sterilize" expanded its usage to refer to the process of making something free from bacteria, germs, or other microorganisms that can cause infection or disease.

Similar spelling words for STERILIZE

Conjugate verb Sterilize

CONDITIONAL PERFECT

I would have sterilized
you would have sterilized
he/she/it would have sterilized
we would have sterilized
they would have sterilized
I would have sterilize
you would have sterilize
he/she/it would have sterilize
we would have sterilize
they would have sterilize

CONDITIONAL PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

I would have been sterilizing
you would have been sterilizing
he/she/it would have been sterilizing
we would have been sterilizing
they would have been sterilizing

CONDITIONAL PRESENT

I would sterilize
you would sterilize
he/she/it would sterilize
we would sterilize
they would sterilize

CONDITIONAL PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

I would be sterilizing
you would be sterilizing
he/she/it would be sterilizing
we would be sterilizing
they would be sterilizing

FUTURE

I will sterilize
you will sterilize
he/she/it will sterilize
we will sterilize
they will sterilize

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

I will be sterilizing
you will be sterilizing
he/she/it will be sterilizing
we will be sterilizing
they will be sterilizing

FUTURE PERFECT

I will have sterilized
you will have sterilized
he/she/it will have sterilized
we will have sterilized
they will have sterilized

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I will have been sterilizing
you will have been sterilizing
he/she/it will have been sterilizing
we will have been sterilizing
they will have been sterilizing

IMPERATIVE

I
he/she/it
they
you sterilize
we let´s sterilize

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

to sterilize

PAST CONTINUOUS

I was sterilizing
you were sterilizing
he/she/it was sterilizing
we were sterilizing
they were sterilizing

PAST PARTICIPLE

sterilized

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I had been sterilizing
you had been sterilizing
he/she/it had been sterilizing
we had been sterilizing
they had been sterilizing

PAST PERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE

I had sterilized
you had sterilized
he/she/it had sterilized
we had sterilized
they had sterilized

PRESENT

I sterilize
you sterilize
he/she/it sterilizes
we sterilize
they sterilize

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

I am sterilizing
you are sterilizing
he/she/it is sterilizing
we are sterilizing
they are sterilizing

PRESENT PARTICIPLE

sterilizing

PRESENT PERFECT

I have sterilized
you have sterilized
he/she/it has sterilized
we have sterilized
they have sterilized

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I have been sterilizing
you have been sterilizing
he/she/it has been sterilizing
we have been sterilizing
they have been sterilizing

PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE

he/she/it sterilize

SIMPLE PAST

I sterilized
you sterilized
he/she/it sterilized
we sterilized
they sterilized

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