Capable of killing bacilli, which are rod-shaped bacteria that can cause diseases like tuberculosis.
From bacillus (Latin for 'small rod') + -cidal (from Latin caedere 'to kill'). The term combines the scientific name for bacteria with a suffix indicating the ability to destroy them.
This word shows how scientists create precise language to describe what medicines and disinfectants do—instead of just saying 'kills germs,' they specify exactly what type of germ they're targeting.
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