bacterized; bacterizing

transitive verb

: to subject to bacterial action

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bacterize was in 1914

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bacterize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bacterize. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

Medical Definition

bacterize

transitive verb
bac·​te·​rize
bacterized or British bacterised; bacterizing or British bacterising
: to subject to bacterial action
bacterization noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!