Definition

Able to kill or stop the growth of tiny living things like bacteria and fungi that can cause disease.

Example

The doctor prescribed an antimicrobial medication to treat the infection.

Conversation

Have you heard about those new antimicrobial wipes they sell now?

Yeah, I saw them at the store! They seem really useful.

I think they could be great for keeping surfaces clean and safe.

Definitely! It's nice to have something that fights germs effectively.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Antimicrobial is formed from "anti-" (meaning against) and "microbium" (from Greek "mikros" meaning small and "bios" meaning life). The word describes substances that work against small life forms, particularly microorganisms that can cause disease.

Memory Tip

Think of 'against' ('anti-') small 'life' ('microbium') — that's why antimicrobial refers to substances that fight against harmful microorganisms.

Visually Confused Words