Where does “sterilization” come from?
Sterilization derives from English sterile combined with the English suffix -ize, from Latin sterilis meaning barren, with roots in Proto-Indo-European ster-.
sterilization (English): The process of treating something to kill or...
Definitions
- The process of treating something to kill or...
Ancestry of “sterilization”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | sterile | Unable to reproduce; Terse; lacking sentiment or... |
| 2 | Middle French | stérile | — |
| 3 | Latin | sterilis | barren, sterile; unprofitable, futile |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ster- | sterile, infertile |
Words derived from “sterilization”