Part of speech: verb
Origin: Latin, early 17th century
Examples of Deterge in a sentence
"After cooking the family dinner, he needed to deterge the kitchen."
"Once the paint dries, nothing will deterge it from the surface."
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You likely have detergent for cleaning dishes, clothes, and many other things in your home, but this is the verb form. Deterge means to clean thoroughly, coming from the French verb “déterger,” and the Latin “detergere,” meaning wipe away.
Did you Know?
You’re not likely to hear deterge used to describe tidying up, or organizing your closet. This type of cleaning is a more intensive cleansing. It can be used to describe a thorough cleaning using soap or special chemicals, but it might also be used for a more ritualistic cleansing.