fungicide

American  

[fuhn-juh-sahyd, fuhng-guh-] / ˈfʌn dʒəˌsaɪd, ˈfʌŋ gə- /

noun

1. a substance or preparation, as a spray or dust, used for destroying fungi.

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fungicide British  

/ ˈfʌndʒɪˌsaɪd /

noun

1. a substance or agent that destroys or is capable of destroying fungi

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fungicide Scientific  

/ fŭn′jĭ-sīd′,fŭng′gĭ-sīd′ /

1. A pesticide used to kill fungi, especially those that cause disease. Streptomycin is a fungicide.

2. Compare herbicide insecticide rodenticide

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Other Word Forms

• fungicidal
  adjective
• fungicidally
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of fungicide

First recorded in 1885–90; fungi- + -cide

Explanation

Any substance that's used to kill spores is a fungicide. If your beautiful roses are dying because mildew is attacking their leaves, you might need to spray them with a fungicide. The word fungicide is formed by taking fungus, "a mushroom" in Latin, and adding the suffix -cide, or "killer." So just like matricide means killing one's mother and pesticide means something that kills bugs, fungicide means something that kills fungi. Whether you have a fungus growing on your bathroom ceiling or your tomato plants, you probably need a fungicide to get rid of it.

Example Sentences

On Friday, the court said in a brief order that it would decide “whether the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act preempts a label-based failure-to-warn claim where EPA has not required the warning.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 16, 2026

The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act gives the EPA the authority to assess whether chemicals used as pesticides are safe.

From Salon • Apr. 19, 2023

If this really bothers you, you can use a fungicide like Bonide Fung-onil Multi-purpose Fungicide or Monterey Liqui-Cop at the doses recommended on the bottles.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 22, 2023

Responding to Bennett’s points, RISE’s Reardon says that the “EPA’s pesticide determinations are made solely by the agency as it fulfills its remit under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act.”

From Scientific American • Jun. 15, 2022

Fungicide: a substance used to kill or prevent the growth of fungi; for example, Bordeaux Mixture or copper sulphate.

From Agriculture for Beginners Revised Edition by Burkett, Charles William

Related Words

• defoliant
• insecticide
• pesticide