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-cide

a learned borrowing from Latin meaning “killer,” “act of killing,” used in the formation of compound words: pesticide, homicide.

Content related to -cide

What Are The Right Words To Use When Talking About SuicideWarning: This article deals with the sensitive topic of suicide.
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English Affixes From A To Z: A One-Stop List Of Suffixes, Prefixes, and Combining FormsIn English, we love to make new words by adding all sorts of bits to the front and back of existing terms. These are called affixes, and they are added to the base or stem of a word. When attached to the end of word, the affix is called a suffix. And to the beginning? A prefix.
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Words nearby -cide

-chore, -chroic, -chrome, -chroous, -cidal, -cide, -cion, -clase, -clasis, -cle, -cleisis

Origin of -cide

late Middle English < Latin -cīda killer, -cīdium act of killing, derivatives of caedere to cut down, kill (in compounds -cīdere)
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for -cide

-cide

n combining form

indicating a person or thing that killsinsecticide
indicating a killing; murderhomicide

Derived forms of -cide

-cidal, adj combining form

Word Origin for -cide

from Latin -cīda (agent), -cīdium (act), from caedere to kill
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for -cide

-cide

suff.

Killer:bactericide.
Act of killing:suicide.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Science definitions for -cide

-cide

A suffix that means “a killer of.” It is used to form the names of chemicals that kill a specified organism, such as pesticide, a chemical that kills pests.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.