sterilization

[ster-uh-luh-zey-shuhn]

noun

1. the act of sterilizing.

2. the condition of being sterilized.

3. the destruction of all living microorganisms, as pathogenic or saprophytic bacteria, vegetative forms, and spores.

sterilization

/ ˌstɛrɪlaɪˈzeɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or procedure of sterilizing or making sterile

2. the state of being sterile; sterilized condition

sterilization

1. The procedure of destroying all microorganisms in or on a given environment, such as a surgical instrument, in order to prevent the spread of infection. This is usually done by using heat, radiation, or chemical agents.

2. Any of various surgical procedures intended to eliminate the capacity to reproduce in humans or animals.

sterilization

1. The removal of all microorganisms and other pathogens from an object or surface by treating it with chemicals or subjecting it to high heat or radiation. Sterilization also refers to procedures that result in infertility. Vasectomies and tubal ligations, in which the fallopian tubes of a woman are tied off, are examples of sterilization techniques.

Other Word Forms

• nonsterilization noun
• resterilization noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sterilization¹

First recorded in 1870–75; sterile + -ization

Example Sentences

“Eugenics, after all, implies the active removal of those thought to be inferior, either through sterilization or outright killing,” observed the veteran pseudoscience debunker David Gorski.

From Los Angeles Times

Robo said at least 10 more sterilization plants in California are governed by the ethylene oxide standards, and it’s likely that they have also applied for an exemption.

From Los Angeles Times

Eugenics movements in the U.S. often promoted the idea of “good genes” to encourage reproduction among white, able-bodied people while justifying the forced sterilization of others.

From Salon

But some of the treatments considered cutting edge at the time, including forced sterilizations and lobotomies, came to be viewed as profoundly inhumane.

From Los Angeles Times

In 2024, new research found that despite all the attention on male vasectomies post-Dobbs, the rise in tubal sterilizations among females was twice as high as the increase among vasectomies in males.

From Salon

Related Words

• castration 
• infertility