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

Example Sentences

"The potential applications are vast -- lightweight protective clothing, airplane components, biodegradable medical implants, and even soft robotics could benefit from fibres engineered using these natural principles," he said.

From Science Daily

As they reach old age, the business of burial is poised for an influx of money and new ideas, including biodegradable coffins and holograms of the deceased to display as digital memorials.

From The Wall Street Journal

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

From Literature

These include cutting back on single use plastics, improving waste management systems, encouraging biodegradable alternatives, and expanding research into how microplastics affect ocean temperatures and carbon cycles.

From Science Daily

The system can be built directly into existing pill capsules and uses a biodegradable radio frequency antenna to send a signal shortly after ingestion.

From Science Daily