desterilize

English

Etymology

de- +‎ sterilize

Verb

desterilize (third-person singular simple present desterilizes, present participle desterilizing, simple past and past participle desterilized)

1. (transitive) To contaminate (medical equipment, etc.) so that it is no longer sterile.
   • 2015 August 12, Raluca Şoşdean et al., “Safety and feasibility of biventricular devices reuse in general and elderly population – a single-center retrospective cohort study”, in Clinical Interventions in Aging‎^[1], volume 10, →DOI:

     The devices were explanted postmortem or during an upgrade intervention, but also devices that were accidentally desterilized or were improperly sealed were included.

2. (economics) To carry out a monetary process that is the reverse of sterilization.

Related terms

• desterilization