adjective

pasteurized

PAS-chuh-ryzd

Quiz me More like this

Pasteurized (adjective) means of milk, juice or another liquid food: heated to a controlled temperature for a set time to kill harmful bacteria, then cooled, so that it keeps longer and is safe to drink. Example: “Only pasteurized milk is sold in the supermarket chiller.”

adjective

Of milk, juice or another liquid food: heated to a controlled temperature for a set time to kill harmful bacteria, then cooled, so that it keeps longer and is safe to drink.

"Only pasteurized milk is sold in the supermarket chiller."

"The cheese is made from pasteurized milk, so it is safe in pregnancy."

verb

Past tense of pasteurize: to treat a liquid with heat in this way.

"The dairy pasteurized the cream before bottling it."

How to use pasteurized

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishHeated just enough to kill the germs that could make you ill.

When to use it

Everyday word on food labels; the -ized spelling is the American headword form.

Memory tip

Homogenised is a different process — it stops cream separating and has nothing to do with safety.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

pasteurized → sterilised homogenised raw milk

Common pairings

pasteurized milk ultra-pasteurized pasteurized egg pasteurized cheese

Vocabulary Flow

Build your vocabulary from words like pasteurized.

Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.

Start vocabulary practice

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Test yourself on “pasteurized” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Only _____ milk is sold in the supermarket chiller.

Etymology

Named after the French chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur, who developed the heating process in the nineteenth century.

Origin: French

Synonyms

View more →

pasteurised

Antonyms

raw unpasteurized

Related words

natural cutting raw painful cooked sore crude contaminated

Rhymes for pasteurized

sized prized baptized utilized notarized polarized civilized idealized organized oversized localized motorized

See all rhymes for pasteurized →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between pasteurized and sterilized?

Pasteurising uses moderate heat to kill most disease-causing microbes while preserving flavour, so the product still needs refrigeration and spoils in days. Sterilising uses much higher heat to kill essentially everything, giving a long shelf life at room temperature but a cooked taste.

Is pasteurized milk still nutritious?

Yes. Pasteurisation causes only small losses in some heat-sensitive vitamins and leaves protein, fat, calcium and most other nutrients intact.

Is it spelt pasteurized or pasteurised?

Both are correct. 'Pasteurized' is the standard American spelling and 'pasteurised' the usual British one, though -ize is also accepted in British English.

What is the meaning of pasteurized?

"pasteurized" (adjective) means of milk, juice or another liquid food: heated to a controlled temperature for a set time to kill harmful bacteria, then cooled, so that it keeps longer and is safe to drink.

People also searched

natural cutting raw painful cooked sore crude contaminated