Decontaminating: meaning, definitions and examples

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decontaminating

 

[ diːkənˈtæmɪneɪtɪŋ ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

cleaning process

Decontaminating refers to the process of removing or neutralizing harmful substances, such as chemicals, bacteria, or radioactive materials, from an area or object. This is often done to prevent the spread of contamination and protect the health and safety of individuals.

Synonyms

cleaning, disinfecting, purifying

Examples of usage

  • The hazmat team is decontaminating the site after a chemical spill.
  • After the nuclear accident, the workers were decontaminating the area to make it safe for habitation.
  • Decontaminating the water supply is essential to prevent the spread of disease.
  • Firefighters wear protective gear when decontaminating after a fire to avoid exposure to toxins.
  • The decontamination process involves thorough cleaning and disinfection.

Translations

Translations of the word "decontaminating" in other languages:

🇵🇹 descontaminando

🇮🇳 प्रदूषण हटाना

🇩🇪 dekontaminieren

🇮🇩 dekontaminasi

🇺🇦 деконтамінація

🇵🇱 odkażanie

🇯🇵 除染 (じょせん)

🇫🇷 décontamination

🇪🇸 descontaminación

🇹🇷 dekontaminasyon

🇰🇷 제염

🇸🇦 إزالة التلوث

🇨🇿 dekontaminace

🇸🇰 dekontaminácia

🇨🇳 去污 (qù wū)

🇸🇮 dekontaminacija

🇮🇸 afmengun

🇰🇿 деконтаминация

🇬🇪 დეკონტამინაცია

🇦🇿 dekontaminasiya

🇲🇽 descontaminación

Etymology

The term 'decontaminating' originated from the combination of 'de-' meaning 'remove' and 'contaminate' which comes from the Latin word 'contaminare' meaning 'to make impure'. The process of decontamination has been crucial in various fields such as healthcare, environmental protection, and emergency response to ensure the safety of individuals and the environment.

See also: contaminate, contaminated, decontaminate.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #37,114, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.