fungicide
Americannoun
noun
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A pesticide used to kill fungi, especially those that cause disease. Streptomycin is a fungicide.
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Compare herbicide insecticide rodenticide
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of fungicide
Explanation
Any substance that's used to kill spores is a fungicide. If your beautiful roses are dying because mildew is attacking their leaves, you might need to spray them with a fungicide. The word fungicide is formed by taking fungus, "a mushroom" in Latin, and adding the suffix -cide, or "killer." So just like matricide means killing one's mother and pesticide means something that kills bugs, fungicide means something that kills fungi. Whether you have a fungus growing on your bathroom ceiling or your tomato plants, you probably need a fungicide to get rid of it.
Vocabulary lists containing fungicide
Microbiology - High School
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Microbiology - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
If it is too wet in the spring, he might have to spend more on other items such as fungicide.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026
To understand how combinations affect nurse bees, the researchers tested their effect on the olfactory system of honey bees using the adjuvant Dyne-Amic, the fungicide Tilt, and the insecticide Altacor.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 15, 2023
So far early results have revealed that women with evidence of fungicide exposure during pregnancy had infants with more respiratory infections and impaired neurodevelopment at age one.
From Scientific American ● Sep. 22, 2023
A weekly application of a copper-based fungicide can be helpful in preventing reappearance.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 21, 2023
Then about 1956 there was a change to dual-purpose treatment; in addition to a fungicide, dieldrin, aldrin, or heptachlor was added to combat soil insects.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
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