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Definition of pasteurize

pasteurize

/ˈpæs.tʃə.ɹaɪz/
(UK: pasteurise)
pas · teur · ize
Adjective:pasteurized
•
Past Simple:pasteurized
•
Past Participle:pasteurized
•
Present Participle:pasteurizing
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pasteurize Lexical Profile

pasteurize Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To subject a food or beverage (especially milk, fruit juice, beer, or wine) to controlled heating followed by rapid cooling in order to destroy harmful microorganisms and extend shelf life without significantly altering its flavor or nutritional value.

Example

"Commercial dairies pasteurize raw milk to eliminate dangerous pathogens before packaging it for grocery stores."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for pasteurize
Antonyms
View all antonyms for pasteurize

• Nearby Words

pasteboard
pastel
pasteurization
pasteurize
pastime
pastina
pastiness

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the late 19th century in honor of the French chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur (1822–1895), who developed the heat-treatment method in the 1860s initially to prevent wine and beer from souring.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Pasteurize. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/pasteurize
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