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defoliant

[ dee-foh-lee-uh nt ]
/ diˈfoʊ li ənt /
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR defoliant ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a preparation for defoliating plants.

RELATED WORDS

pesticide, fungicide, insecticide, weedkiller, DDT, paraquat, herbicide

Nearby words

  1. defocus,
  2. defoe,
  3. defoe, daniel,
  4. defog,
  5. defogger,
  6. defoliate,
  7. defoliation,
  8. deforce,
  9. deforciant,
  10. deforest

Origin of defoliant

First recorded in 1940–45; defoli(ate) + -ant
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for defoliant

defoliant

/ (diːˈfəʊlɪənt) /

noun

a chemical sprayed or dusted onto trees to cause their leaves to fall, esp to remove cover from an enemy in warfare
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

Word Origin and History for defoliant

defoliant

adj.

1943, from defoliate + -ant.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper