sterilize
verb /ˈsterəlaɪz/
/ˈsterəlaɪz/
(British English also sterilise)
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they sterilize | /ˈsterəlaɪz/ /ˈsterəlaɪz/ |
| he / she / it sterilizes | /ˈsterəlaɪzɪz/ /ˈsterəlaɪzɪz/ |
| past simple sterilized | /ˈsterəlaɪzd/ /ˈsterəlaɪzd/ |
| past participle sterilized | /ˈsterəlaɪzd/ /ˈsterəlaɪzd/ |
| -ing form sterilizing | /ˈsterəlaɪzɪŋ/ /ˈsterəlaɪzɪŋ/ |
- [often passive] sterilize something to kill the bacteria in or on something
- to sterilize surgical instruments
- sterilized milk/water
- [usually passive] sterilize somebody/something to make a person or an animal unable to have babies, especially by removing or blocking their sex organs