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désinfecter

to disinfect

verb deh-zan-fek-TEH Rare
Body & Health Personal Care

Origin: from 'dés-' (un-) + 'infecter' (to infect), from Latin 'inficere'

Usage Note

Désinfecter is the standard medical and household term for disinfecting a wound, surface, or object. The noun désinfection refers to the process, and désinfectant is the noun/adjective for a disinfectant product. Contrast with stériliser, which implies eliminating all micro-organisms rather than just reducing harmful ones.

Examples

"Il faut désinfecter la plaie avant de la panser."

Natural Translation

You must disinfect the wound before bandaging it.

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