pesticide

American  

[pes-tuh-sahyd] / ˈpɛs təˌsaɪd /

noun

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

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pesticide British  

/ ˈpɛstɪˌsaɪd /

noun

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

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pesticide Scientific  

/ pĕs′tĭ-sīd′ /

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

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Other Word Forms

• pesticidal adjective

Etymology

Origin of pesticide

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

Example Sentences

The research, published in the journal Molecular Neurodegeneration, combines large-scale human data with laboratory experiments that show how the pesticide harms dopamine-producing brain cells.

From Science Daily

Bayer, which sells crop seeds and pesticides, expects a shift to soybeans at the expense of corn.

From The Wall Street Journal

A study found the problem was worse in urban areas, with pesticides reaching streams through misconnected sewers and discharges from waste-water treatment plants after pets and their bedding were washed.

From BBC

The fertilizer problem comes as other costs -- for pesticides, seeds and health care -- have gone up, Lehman told AFP.

From Barron's

People who ate more produce with high pesticide residues were more likely to have those chemicals detected in their urine compared to those who chose lower residue options.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• defoliant
• fungicide
• insecticide