defoliate
to strip (a tree, bush, etc.) of leaves.
to destroy or cause widespread loss of leaves in (an area of jungle, forest, etc.), as by using chemical sprays or incendiary bombs, in order to deprive enemy troops or guerrilla forces of concealment.
to lose leaves.
(of a tree) having lost its leaves, especially by a natural process.
Origin of defoliate
1Other words from defoliate
- de·fo·li·a·tion, noun
- de·fo·li·a·tor, noun
- un·de·fo·li·at·ed, adjective
Words Nearby defoliate
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use defoliate in a sentence
When neglected for two or three years, they often defoliate large trees.
Soil Culture | J. H. Walden
British Dictionary definitions for defoliate
to deprive (a plant) of its leaves, as by the use of a herbicide, or (of a plant) to shed its leaves
(of a plant) having shed its leaves
Origin of defoliate
1Derived forms of defoliate
- defoliation, noun
- defoliator, noun
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
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