sterilely

Sterilely is an adverb meaning in a sterile or aseptic manner; it describes performing actions in a way that prevents contamination and maintains sterility. In medical, laboratory, and other contexts that require asepsis, procedures may be described as performed sterilely. The form is built from the adjective sterile, which derives from Latin sterilis. The suffix -ly forms an adverb in English.

Sterilely is used primarily in technical writing, clinical notes, laboratory protocols, and some scientific reports. It emphasizes adherence to sterile technique rather than general cleanliness. For example: "The surgeon prepared the field sterilely," or "The specimen was handled sterilely to avoid contamination." However, sterilely is uncommon in everyday prose and can sound archaic or overly formal; many writers prefer aseptically or simply under sterile conditions.

See also: Sterile, Sterility, Asepsis, Aseptic technique.