pesticide

[ pes-tuh-sahyd ]

/ ˈpɛs təˌsaɪd /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR pesticide ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a chemical preparation for destroying plant, fungal, or animal pests.

Nearby words

Origin of pesticide

First recorded in 1935–40; pest + -i- + -cide

Also called biocide.

Related formspes·ti·cid·al, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for pesticide

Those might include BPA (which is found in many plastics), pesticide residue, and both legal and not-so-legal drugs.
5 Healthier Ways to Detox (That Aren’t Juice Cleanses)|DailyBurn|February 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In many rural Chinese homes, a jar of pesticide—often a variety banned in Western countries—sits in the family outhouse.
China's Female Suicide Mystery|Megan Shank|June 16, 2010|DAILY BEAST
But the pesticide that ensures an abundant crop all too often reaps sorrow.
China's Female Suicide Mystery|Megan Shank|June 16, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Experts attribute this change to a decrease in pesticide access.
China's Female Suicide Mystery|Megan Shank|June 16, 2010|DAILY BEAST

Within minutes, more and more of the pesticide robots were swarming towards and into the clearing.
The Asses of Balaam|Gordon Randall Garrett
All through the wooded area, he could see occasional members of the pesticide robots.
The Asses of Balaam|Gordon Randall Garrett
The laws and recommendations for pesticide application may have changed since the articles were written.
Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the Second Annual Meeting|Northern Nut Growers Association
Two hundred pesticide robots were ranged around the perimeter of the clearing, their weapons facing inward.
The Asses of Balaam|Gordon Randall Garrett

British Dictionary definitions for pesticide

pesticide

/ (ˈpɛstɪˌsaɪd) /

noun

a chemical used for killing pests, esp insects and rodents

Derived Formspesticidal, 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

Word Origin and History for pesticide

pesticide

1939, a hybrid coined from English pest + Latinate -cide.

Medicine definitions for pesticide

pesticide

[ pĕs′tĭ-sīd′ ]

n.

A chemical used to kill pests, especially insects.

Science definitions for pesticide

pesticide

[ pĕs′tĭ-sīd′ ]

A chemical used to kill harmful animals or plants. Pesticides are used especially in agriculture and around areas where humans live. Some are harmful to humans, either from direct contact or as residue on food, or are harmful to the environment because of their high toxicity, such as DDT (which is now banned in many countries). Pesticides include fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, and rodenticides. See more at fungicide herbicide insecticide.