sanitizer

noun

san·​i·​tiz·​er ˈsa-nə-ˌtī-zər 

plural sanitizers

: a substance or product that is used to reduce or eliminate pathogenic agents (such as bacteria) on surfaces

Sales of alcohol-based hand sanitizers were up nearly 17% as of the first week of September compared to the same period last year …

—Laura Landro

"Carvacrol could potentially be used as a food sanitizer … particularly in conjunction with other antimicrobials," says Kelly Bright, associate research scientist in the department of soil, water, and environmental science at the University of Arizona.

—Daniel Stolt

also : a device used in sanitizing

This ozone-generating sanitizer looks like a miniature tanning bed for your manual toothbrush—and it emits ultraviolet light (UV) to kill 99.9 percent of brush germs.

—Malinda Govoni

Among the equipment that impressed him: … A wall-mounted food sanitizer that diverts water from the sink tap and charges it with ozone before dispensing it through the aerator for produce cleaning.

—Howard Riell

Examples of sanitizer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Or, use nature’s sanitizer, the ultraviolet rays of the sun. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 10 Oct. 2024

The functional bag is designed to make room for all their must-haves with help from side mesh water bottle pockets, clip-on back rings for hand sanitizer, and an internal sleeve for a small laptop or tablet. —Ali Faccenda, Peoplemag, 8 Aug. 2024

That day, a chemical plant containing millions of pounds of pool sanitizer burned to the ground in Conyers, Georgia. —Hana Kiros, The Atlantic, 1 Nov. 2024

If this is not available, try to use hand sanitizer after touching commonly touched surfaces prior to touching your mouth. —Katia Hetter, CNN, 25 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1911, in the meaning defined above