autoclave
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au·to·clave
(ô′tō-klāv′)n.
A strong, pressurized, steam-heated vessel, as for laboratory experiments, sterilization, or cooking.
[French : Greek auto-, auto- + Latin clāvis, key (from the fact that it is self-locking from the pressurization).]
autoclave
(ˈɔːtəˌkleɪv)n
1. (Chemistry) a strong sealed vessel used for chemical reactions at high pressure
2. (Medicine) an apparatus for sterilizing objects (esp surgical instruments) or for cooking by means of steam under pressure
3. (Cookery) an apparatus for sterilizing objects (esp surgical instruments) or for cooking by means of steam under pressure
4. (Civil Engineering) civil engineering a vessel in which freshly cast concrete or sand-lime bricks are cured very rapidly in high-pressure steam
vb
(tr) to put in or subject to the action of an autoclave
[C19: from French auto- + -clave, from Latin clāvis key]
au•to•clave
(ˈɔ təˌkleɪv)n., v. -claved, -clav•ing. n.
1. a heavy vessel for sterilizing or cooking by means of steam under pressure.
2. a heavy vessel for conducting chemical reactions under high pressure.
v.t. 3. to place in an autoclave.
[1875–80; < French, =auto- auto-1 + clave < Latin clāv-, s. of clāvis key and clāvus nail]
autoclave
Past participle: autoclaved
Gerund: autoclaving
| Imperative |
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| autoclave |
| autoclave |
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Noun | 1. |  autoclave - a device for heating substances above their boiling point; used to manufacture chemicals or to sterilize surgical instrumentsdigester - autoclave consisting of a vessel in which plant or animal materials are digested pressure cooker - autoclave for cooking at temperatures above the boiling point of water vessel - an object used as a container (especially for liquids) |
| Verb | 1. | autoclave - subject to the action of an autoclave |
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