germicidal adj. (Biol.) Destructive to germs; applied to any agent which has a killing action upon living microorganisms, particularly bacteria or viruses, which are the cause of many infectious diseases.
... great variety of germs are found in drinking water, and no doubt countless numbers are taken into the digestive tract, and the principal reason why pathological conditions do not occur more frequently is on account of the germicidal qualities ... — Scientific American Supplement, No. 787, January 31, 1891 • Various
...
