biodegrade
Americanverb (used without object)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of biodegrade
First recorded in 1970–75; back formation from biodegradable
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Wie’s group is developing versions of these robots that biodegrade after use, eliminating the need for surgical removal, and coatings that make the robots compatible with human tissue.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 1, 2025
The Environment for Development, a global research network, estimates that around a third are unusable items that end up in landfills -- mostly made from plastic-based materials like nylon and polyester that does not biodegrade.
From Barron's • Oct. 13, 2025
One of the most common compounds is a polyester known as PLA, short for polylactic acid, which will biodegrade in an industrial compost setting.
From New York Times • May 20, 2024
These polymer-based biocompatible materials are useful for their abilities to retain water, deliver drugs into wounds, and biodegrade.
From Science Daily • Apr. 2, 2024
The vast majority of these products cannot be recycled and can take hundreds of years to biodegrade in landfill sites.
From BBC • Sep. 30, 2023
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
