sterilization
/stɛrɪlʌɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n
/(also sterilisation)
noun [mass noun]
1The process of making something free from bacteria or other living microorganisms: disinfection and sterilization of surgical equipment [count noun]: the food processing plant has undergone three sterilizations supervised by a microbiologist...
- One of the issues that led to the suspension is the sterilisation of trucks transporting animals to abattoirs.
- Plastic syringes can be sterilized in a microwave oven, which is another method of heat sterilization.
- Given the state of their drinking water, anything that offered a little sterilisation could add a few years to a person's life.
2Surgery to make a person or animal unable to produce offspring: she had three children and had undergone sterilization [count noun]: in the years preceding the case, the number of sterilizations performed there rose dramatically...
- The eugenics movement lobbied fiercely in favour of measures of forced sterilization for entire categories of the population.
- One of the girls was adopted, but the rest of the family moved around a lot to avoid fines or sterilization.
- They continue to make the assertion that contraception, sterilization, and abortion-inducing drugs are part of healthcare.
- take a dive
- take advantage of
- take advantage of (or take advice etc.)
- take a fancy to
- take a flyer
- take after
- take against
- take a hammering
- take a hand
- take a hike
- take aim
- take a jerry to
- take a leaf out of someone's book
- take-all
- take a load off someone's mind
- take a lot of (or some) ——
- take a (or the) hint
- take a (or the) load off one's feet
- take-apart
- take a poke at someone
- take a poor view of
- take a powder
- take a rain check
- take a running jump
- take a shine to