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defoliant
[ dee-foh-lee-uhnt ]
/ diˈfoʊ li ənt /
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noun
a preparation for defoliating plants.
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Origin of defoliant
First recorded in 1940–45; defoli(ate) + -ant
Words nearby defoliant
defo, defocus, Defoe, defog, defogger, defoliant, defoliate, deforce, deforciant, deforest, deforestation
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use defoliant in a sentence
“Damnation Spring,” by Ash DavidsonAn experienced logger and his young wife in Northern California suspect a defoliant being used to clear brush is poisoning their community.
It was also the largest producer of the notorious Agent Orange, a dioxin-based defoliant used to clear forests during the Vietnam War, dubbed “the Darth Vader of toxic chemicals,” because it lays waste to so many biological systems in the body.
How Monsanto propagated an unenviable reputation with hubris and herbicide|Richard Schiffman|October 29, 2021|Washington Post
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
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