Noun sterilization has 2 senses
  1. sterilization, sterilisation - the act of making an organism barren or infertile (unable to reproduce)
    --1 is a kind of operation, surgery, surgical operation, surgical procedure, surgical process
    --1 has particulars: neutering, fixing, altering; surgical contraception
    Derived form: verb sterilize2
  2. sterilization, sterilisation - the procedure of making some object free of live bacteria or other microorganisms (usually by heat or chemical means)
    --2 is a kind of cleaning, cleansing, cleanup
    --2 has particulars: pasteurization, pasteurisation
    Derived form: verb sterilize1
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