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Antiseptic vs Antimicrobial - What's the difference?

antiseptic | antimicrobial |

As adjectives the difference between antiseptic and antimicrobial

is that antiseptic is of, or relating to antisepsis, or the use of antiseptics while antimicrobial is tending to destroy or capable of destroying microbes.

As nouns the difference between antiseptic and antimicrobial

is that antiseptic is any substance that inhibits the growth and reproduction of microorganisms. Generally includes only those that are used on living objects (as opposed to disinfectants) and aren't transported by the lymphatic system to destroy bacteria in the body (as opposed to antibiotics) while antimicrobial is an agent that destroys microbes, inhibits their growth, or prevents or counteracts their pathogenic action.

antiseptic

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Of, or relating to antisepsis, or the use of antiseptics.
  • Capable of preventing microbial infection.
  • Very clean; aseptic.
  • Free of unpleasantness; sanitized or bowdlerized.
  • * 2001 , John Allen, A Touch of Uncertainty
  • Forget all those Christmas cards with their ideal scenarios and antiseptic smiles. Stables are filthy and they stink

    Noun

    (wikipedia antiseptic) (en noun)
  • Any substance that inhibits the growth and reproduction of microorganisms. Generally includes only those that are used on living objects (as opposed to disinfectants'') and aren't transported by the lymphatic system to destroy bacteria in the body (as opposed to ''antibiotics ).
  • See also

    * antibacterial * antibiotic

    Anagrams

    *

    antimicrobial

    English

    Alternative forms

    * anti-microbial

    Adjective

    (-)
  • tending to destroy or capable of destroying microbes
  • inhibiting the growth of microbes
  • preventing or counteracting the pathogenic action of microbes
  • Synonyms

    * antimicrobic

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • an agent that destroys microbes, inhibits their growth, or prevents or counteracts their pathogenic action