insecticide

[ in-sek-tuh-sahyd ]
See synonyms for insecticide on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a substance or preparation used for killing insects.

  2. the act of killing insects.

Origin of insecticide

1
First recorded in 1860–65; insect + -i- + -cide

Other words from insecticide

  • in·sec·ti·cid·al, adjective
  • non·in·sec·ti·cid·al, adjective

Words Nearby insecticide

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use insecticide in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for insecticide

insecticide

/ (ɪnˈsɛktɪˌsaɪd) /


noun
  1. a substance used to destroy insect pests

Derived forms of insecticide

  • insecticidal, adjective

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

Scientific definitions for insecticide

insecticide

[ ĭn-sĕktĭ-sīd′ ]


  1. A pesticide used to kill insects. Chlordane and DDT are insecticides. Compare fungicide herbicide rodenticide.

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