Sanitize
/ˈsæn.ɪ.taɪz/noun
To make something clean or free from harmful germs or impurities.
Did you know?Sanitize comes from the same Latin root as *sanity* and *saint*, all ultimately tied to the idea of being whole, sound, or in a sacred state.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*seh₂-
“to be whole, healthy”
Latin
Latin
sānus
“healthy, sound, whole”
Late Latin
Latin
sānitās
“health”
19th Century
English
sanitize
“to make sanitary or hygienic”
Modern English
English
sanitize
“to make clean or free from harmful germs or contamination”