CultureAugust 28, 2026

bactericidal

bak-tuh-ri-SY-duhl

Definition

Relating to a substance that kills bacteria.

Etymology

Derived from the Latin 'bacterium' and the suffix '-cide' (from the Latin 'caedere'), meaning 'to kill'.

In the news

The professor mentions developing 'non-bactericidal' treatment strategies, meaning methods that interfere with bacterial behavior without directly killing the bacteria.

Bates welcomes new faculty

Read the full article ↗

Bates College

Related words

aestheticized

To make something appear artistic, visually pleasing, or idealized, often shifting focus…

Culture

apostolic

Relating to or issued by the Pope, or conforming to the teachings and authority of the…

Culture

autoethnography

A qualitative research method where a researcher uses their own personal experience to…

Culture

boundaried

Characterized by having clear, well-defined limits between one's public persona and…

Culture

cowries

Small, glossy seashells, historically used as currency in parts of Africa and Asia, and…

Culture

decolonialism

The political or social process of dismantling colonial power structures and undoing the…

Culture

Learn words like this every day

Meet new words every morning.

Newspoken pulls carefully chosen words from the day’s news — with clear definitions, context, and light review that makes them stick. Get it on your phone.