desterilize
Make unclean again
To desterilize is to remove or reverse sterilization—either contaminating something that was sterile or restoring fertility after a sterilizing procedure.
Medical equipment becomes desterilized when exposed to unsterile conditions: The surgical tools were accidentally desterilized when the packaging was opened.
In reproductive contexts, it refers to reversing a vasectomy or tubal ligation.
Dirty what was purified
- exposeMake known publicly
- infectTransmit pathogens to
- contaminateMake unclean or unsafe
- unsterileNot free from germs
compromise · cross-contaminate · reinfect · dirty · soil · taint · pollute · spoil
Re-add soil nutrients
- repopulateFill again with inhabitants
- recolonizeSettle somewhere again
- reinoculateVaccinate a second time
- probioticHealthful live microorganism supplement
recontaminate
Dirty what was purified
- exposeMake known publicly
- infectTransmit pathogens to
- contaminateMake unclean or unsafe
unsterile · compromise · cross-contaminate · reinfect · dirty · soil · taint · pollute · spoil · foul
refertilize
Re-add soil nutrients
- repopulateFill again with inhabitants
- recolonizeSettle somewhere again
- reinoculateVaccinate a second time
sterile, sterilize, sterilization, sterilized, sterilizer, sterilizing, sterility, resterilize, resterilization