Final answer:
The term for the partial elimination of pathogens from an inanimate object or surface, reducing the microbial load to safe levels, is sanitization.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term for the elimination of NEARLY all pathogens, but not all microorganisms from an inanimate object or surface is sanitization. Unlike sterilization, which is the complete removal or killing of all vegetative cells, endospores, and viruses, sanitization aims to reduce microbial load to safe levels rather than to achieve complete eradication. An example of sanitization could be the use of very hot water and air in commercial dishwashers to kill most microbes on dishes in the food service industry.