defoliate

American  

[dee-foh-lee-eyt, dee-foh-lee-it, -eyt] / diˈfoʊ liˌeɪt, diˈfoʊ li ɪt, -ˌeɪt /

verb (used with object)

defoliated, defoliating

1. to strip (a tree, bush, etc.) of leaves.

2. 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.

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verb (used without object)

defoliated, defoliating

1. to lose leaves.

adjective

1. (of a tree) having lost its leaves, especially by a natural process.

defoliate British  

verb

1. to deprive (a plant) of its leaves, as by the use of a herbicide, or (of a plant) to shed its leaves

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adjective

1. (of a plant) having shed its leaves

Other Word Forms

• defoliation noun
• defoliator noun
• undefoliated adjective

Etymology

Origin of defoliate

1785–1795; < Medieval Latin dēfoliātus, past participle of dēfoliāre, equivalent to Latin dē- de- + foli ( um ) leaf + -ātus -ate ¹

Explanation

Defoliate means to take the leaves or branches off of a tree or bush. When your mom asks you to defoliate the rose bushes, she wants you to trim them back. In defoliate you see part of the word foliage, which means “leaves.” When your family takes a trip to Vermont to look at the foliage, you’re going leaf peeping. If the trees of Vermont are defoliated, there'll be nothing to look at on your leaf peeping trip except the poor quality black and white television in your motel room. The adjective defoliated describes a tree or bush that has had its leaves stripped.

Example Sentences

If tomato hornworms try to defoliate your plants, there’s a wasp for that, too — more than one, in fact.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 19, 2022

The plant in his hands was a Palmer amaranth descendant that had demonstrated resistance to 2,4-D, one of two active ingredients in compounds used to defoliate forests during the Vietnam War.

From New York Times • Aug. 18, 2021

Enlist E3 soybeans are bred to resist glyphosate, glufosinate and 2,4-D, a chemical with roots stretching to the Vietnam War as an ingredient in Agent Orange, used by the U.S. military to defoliate jungle.

From Reuters • Jan. 24, 2018

The herbicide was used by American forces on a regular basis to defoliate jungle areas in Vietnam.

From Washington Times • Jan. 5, 2015

Some trees almost defoliate themselves, while others nearby and alongside are O.K., possibly due to individual tolerance of conditions.

From Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the 41st Annual Meeting Pleasant Valley, New York, August 28, 29 and 30, 1950 by Northern Nut Growers Association