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disinfectant

dis·in·fect·ant

disinfectant

 
pronunciation:
dIs ihn fek tnt
features:
Word Explorer, Word Parts
part of speech: noun
definition: something that kills germs.
This bathroom cleanser contains a disinfectant.
similar words:
antiseptic
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  bacteria, hygiene, injury
Word Parts  About this feature
The word disinfectant contains the following part:
-ant, -ent Latin adjective- and noun-forming suffix that means (in adjectives) doing the action denoted by the verb root; (in nouns) one who or that which does the action denoted by the verb root.
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The suffix -ant , -ent forms adjectives and, to a much lesser extent, nouns from Latin verb stems such as fid in confident and stud in student . This suffix is the equivalent in Latin of the "-ing" inflection in English. Many adjectives ending in -ant , -ent have a corresponding noun ending in -ance, -ence, -ancy, -ency.