Definition

Relating to a substance that kills bacteria.

Example

The doctor prescribed a bactericidal medication to treat the infection.

Conversation

Have you heard about that new hand sanitizer they’re advertising?

Yeah, I think it's supposed to be really effective.

I read that it has bactericidal properties, which is great for killing germs.

That makes sense! It’s nice to have extra protection these days.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Bactericidal → It is formed from "bacterium" (from Greek "bakterion", meaning rod or staff, referring to the shape of certain bacteria) and "-cidal" (from Latin "caedere", meaning to kill). The word "bactericidal" means capable of killing bacteria.

Memory Tip

Think of 'bacterium' as referring to the tiny organisms and '-cidal' meaning to kill — so bactericidal describes something that kills bacteria.

Visually Confused Words