sterilization

sterilization — noun

1. a treatment using heat, chemicals, or radiation to destroy all bacteria, viruses

1.nounB2
Definition

a treatment using heat, chemicals, or radiation to destroy all bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms on tools, equipment, or surfaces.

Example

The hospital performs strict sterilization of all surgical instruments before every operation.

sterilization of [object] — strict / thorough sterilization

Alessia checked that the sterilization of her baby's feeding bottles was done correctly.

Common collocations
  • steam sterilization
  • heat sterilization
  • chemical sterilization
  • sterilization process
  • sterilization equipment
Synonyms
  • disinfection

    kills most but not all microorganisms; less thorough than sterilization

  • pasteurisation

    heat treatment for food and drink; does not kill all microorganisms

  • sanitisation

    general cleaning to reduce germs; less rigorous than sterilization

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

sterilization + of + object

for + sterilization

Usage Note

Common in hospital, laboratory, and food-safety contexts. Sterilization differs from 'disinfection' — sterilization kills ALL microorganisms, while disinfection reduces them to a safer level.

Common Mistakes

I used soap for sterilisation of my hands.
I used soap for cleaning my hands. Sterilisation is a stronger process used for medical tools.
hand-washing is cleaning, not sterilisation.

2. a medical procedure that permanently prevents a person from being able to have c

2.nounB2
Definition

a medical procedure that permanently prevents a person from being able to have children, typically carried out by surgically blocking or removing the reproductive organs.

Example

After having three children, Quinn chose sterilization so that she would not have more pregnancies.

undergo / choose sterilization — permanent birth control decision

The doctor explained the risks of sterilization to Hamza and his wife before the operation.

Common collocations
  • undergo sterilization
  • female sterilization
  • male sterilization
  • sterilization procedure
  • voluntary sterilization
Synonyms
  • vasectomy

    specifically the male sterilization procedure; narrower in scope

  • tubal ligation

    specifically the female sterilization procedure; narrower in scope

  • contraception

    broader term for birth control, including reversible methods

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

undergo + sterilization

sterilization + of + person

Usage Note

Frequently passive in medical contexts — a patient 'undergoes' or 'chooses' sterilization. This sense refers to a permanent procedure and should not be confused with reversible contraception.

Common Mistakes

She decided to get sterilisation pills.
She decided to undergo sterilisation surgery.
sterilization is a surgical procedure, not a medication.
The sterilisation can be reversed easily.
Sterilisation is usually a permanent procedure.
while reversal is sometimes possible, it is complex and not guaranteed.

Word family

  • sterile
    adjectiveB2
  • sterilize
    verbB2
  • sterilized
    adjectiveB2
  • sterilizing
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Sterilization is the strongest of these terms — it means killing ALL microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and spores. It is the standard for surgical instruments and laboratory equipment. Disinfection is less thorough: it destroys most harmful microorganisms but not necessarily bacterial spores. Common disinfectants include bleach and alcohol. Sanitisation is even milder, reducing the number of germs to a safe level (often used for food preparation surfaces). Pasteurisation is a specific heat treatment for liquids like milk that kills disease-causing bacteria but does not eliminate all microbes. In everyday language, people often say 'sterilise' when they mean 'disinfect', but in medical contexts the difference matters. For example: 'The surgeon demands full sterilisation of the scalpel, not just a quick wipe with alcohol.'

sterilization ↗disinfection ↗sanitisationpasteurisation

Common collocations

Nouns

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Sterilization comes from the Latin word 'sterilis', meaning barren or unable to produce offspring. It entered English in the 17th century. The medical sense — making a person unable to reproduce — became common in the late 1800s as surgical techniques advanced. The cleaning sense followed around the same time, shaped by the work of scientists like Louis Pasteur and Joseph Lister, who showed that killing microorganisms was essential to preventing infection.