pesticide

[pes-tuh-sahyd]

noun

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

pesticide

/ ˈpɛstɪˌsaɪd /

noun

1. a chemical used for killing pests, esp insects and rodents

pesticide

1. 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.

2. See more at fungicide herbicide insecticide

Other Word Forms

• pesticidal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pesticide¹

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

Example Sentences

It is increasingly used for biological pest control in agriculture, with researchers around the world studying how to further drive its effectiveness as a natural pesticide.

Read more on Science Daily

The risks to the environment include from slurry and pesticide runoff.

Read more on BBC

In a study published in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, researchers found that sugar beet pulp could help farmers cut down on synthetic pesticide use.

Read more on Science Daily

They also found firearms and hazardous pesticides that contaminate the environment.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

If agricultural or construction waste is used, it can include nasty chemicals from wood treatments and pesticides.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• defoliant 
• fungicide 
• insecticide