| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. |
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| antiseptic |
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| SYLLABICATION: | an·ti·sep·tic |
| PRONUNCIATION: |   n t -s p tk |
| ADJECTIVE: | 1. Of, relating to, or producing antisepsis. 2. Capable of preventing infection by inhibiting the growth of microorganisms. 3. Thoroughly clean; aseptic. See synonyms at clean. 4. Of or associated with the use of antiseptics. 5a. Devoid of enlivening or enriching qualities: “This is . . . not at all lighthearted or amiable music. In fact, the tone is unremittingly sober and antiseptic” (Donal Henahan). b. Free of disturbing or unpleasant features; sanitized: an antiseptic version of history. | | NOUN: | A substance that inhibits the growth and reproduction of disease-causing microorganisms. | | OTHER FORMS: | anti·septi·cal·ly —ADVERB
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| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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