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definitions

die-off

[ dahy-awf, -of ]
/ ˈdaɪˌɔf, -ˌɒf /

noun

a sudden, natural perishing of large numbers of a species, population, or community.

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Nearby words

  1. die with one's boots on,
  2. die-cast,
  3. die-casting,
  4. die-cutting,
  5. die-hard,
  6. dieb. alt.,
  7. dieb. secund.,
  8. dieb. tert.,
  9. dieback,
  10. diecious

Origin of die-off

First recorded in 1935–40; noun use of verb phrase die off
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Science definitions for die-off

die-off

[ dī′ôf′ ]

A sudden, severe decline in a population or community of organisms as a result of natural causes. Local die-offs can be caused by such factors as an unusual or extreme weather pattern, an outbreak of disease, or toxic algal blooms in a body of water. Widespread or global die-offs in which a species or group of species becomes extinct are generally associated with rapid climate change or other large-scale environmental dislocations.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.