biodegradable

American  

[bahy-oh-di-grey-duh-buhl] / ˌbaɪ oʊ dɪˈgreɪ də bəl /

adjective

1. capable of decaying through the action of living organisms.

   biodegradable paper; biodegradable detergent.

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biodegradable British  

/ ˌbaɪəʊˌdɛɡrəˈdeɪʃən, ˌbaɪəʊdɪˈɡreɪdəbəl, ˌbaɪəʊˌdɛɡreɪdɪˈbɪlɪtɪ /

adjective

1. (of sewage constituents, packaging material, etc) capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other biological means

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biodegradable Scientific  

/ bī′ō-dĭ-grā′də-bəl /

1. Capable of being decomposed by the action of biological agents, especially bacteria.

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biodegradable Cultural  

1. Material that, left to itself, will be decomposed by natural processes.

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Discover More

The use of biodegradable packaging is supposed to reduce the volume of waste in landfills.

Other Word Forms

• biodegradability
  noun
• biodegradation
  noun
• nonbiodegradable
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of biodegradable

First recorded in 1960–65; bio- + degrade + -able

Explanation

If something is biodegradable, it can decompose naturally. When you're out camping, you shouldn't leave anything behind and certainly nothing that isn't biodegradable. A plastic bottle is the antithesis of biodegradable — it will be there forever. When you think environmentally friendly, you're thinking biodegradable, and truly environmentally friendly substances degrade quickly into harmless components. What makes something biodegradable is that the decomposition is done by means of living organisms, such as bacteria. When you put earthworms into your compost, they're the living organisms that are assisting you with the decomposition.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

biodegradable

"Our balloon is still made with natural latex, but we blend it with another biodegradable polymer and we don't add any of these additives that are used in traditional balloons," she said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026

Use biodegradable, eco-friendly products that are better for the environment and softer on the skin.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

Blueprint's artificial structures, which can be created in many different shapes, are built on a 3D-printed scaffold of a biodegradable polyester called polycaprolactone, which supports a collagen structure.

From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026

Their biodegradable nature could allow the technology to fit into a broader circular economy model, reducing waste while continuing to provide value after the beads are retired from carbon capture use.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 11, 2026

She wanted to do paper lanterns, but I said no, because even the biodegradable ones aren’t good for the earth.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy