fumigation

American  

[fyoo-mi-gey-shuhn] / ˌfyu mɪˈgeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the process of using smoke or fumes to disinfect a place or thing or to rid it of fleas, roaches, agricultural pests, weeds, etc..

   If the entire house gets infested with bedbugs, including clothing and furniture, we’ll have to resort to exterminators or even fumigation.

   A pesticide unavailable on the legal market is regularly employed in the fumigation of areas where illicit crops, such as coca, are produced.

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Other Word Forms

• subfumigation noun

Etymology

Origin of fumigation

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin fūmigātiōn-, stem of fūmigātiō; see fumigate ( def. ), -ation ( def. )

Explanation

Fumigation is the process of using chemical smoke to kill pests like insects or rodents. An infestation of termites in your house might mean you have to resort to fumigation. Because fumigation fills the air with poison gas, it's a process that has to be done in an empty space — in other words, you'll have to leave your house and bring your cats with you during fumigation. Today this noun refers specifically to pest control and the use of pesticides in the form of gas or smoke. The original 14th-century definition was "action of making aromatic smoke as part of a ceremony," from the Latin root fumus, "smoke."

Example Sentences

One of the most widely used treatments for drywood termites is fumigation, in which a home is sealed under a tent and filled with gas to kill the insects.

From Science Daily • Apr. 20, 2026

Colombia will also restart fumigation to destroy coca crops, a practice halted since 2015 and strongly opposed by Petro as a senator.

From Barron's • Feb. 2, 2026

The Salvation Army said this was due to the fumigation process of their rooms.

From BBC • Aug. 22, 2025

A manager for one of them, Bay View Farms LLC, said the fumigation process is “really heavily regulated and inspected by not just the county, but also the state.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2024

Papá was sure the fumigation had taken care of the problem.

From "Breaking Through" by Francisco Jiménez