Definition

Relating to a substance that can kill viruses.

Example

The new disinfectant is viricidal and effective against many common viruses.

Conversation

I heard that some cleaning products are viricidal now.

Really? That sounds useful, especially during flu season.

Yeah, it’s good to know they can help kill viruses.

For sure! I’ll look for those next time I shop.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Viricidal → It is formed from "virus" (from Latin *virus*, meaning poison or venom) and "-cidal" (from Latin *caedere*, meaning to kill). The word "viricidal" means capable of killing viruses.

Memory Tip

Think of 'virus' as something harmful and '-cidal' as meaning to kill — that's why viricidal refers to something that kills viruses.

Visually Confused Words