rotenone

American

[roht-n-ohn] / ˈroʊt nˌoʊn /

noun

Chemistry, Pharmacology.

a white, crystalline, water-insoluble, poisonous heterocyclic compound, C 2 3 H 2 2 O 6 , obtained from derris root: used chiefly as the active ingredient of certain insecticides and in medicine in the treatment of chiggers and scabies.

rotenone British

/ ˈrəʊtɪˌnəʊn /

noun

a white odourless crystalline substance extracted from the roots of derris: a powerful insecticide. Formula: C 23 H 22 O 6 ; relative density: 1.27; melting pt: 163°C

"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

Etymology

Origin of rotenone

1920–25; roten- (said to be < Japanese ) + -one

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.

Once the treatment is complete, another chemical will be released to dilute the rotenone, the park service said.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 18, 2023

A substance lethal to fish but approved by federal environmental regulators called rotenone will be disseminated starting Aug. 26.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 18, 2023

But the classical inhibitor of this vital mitochondrial enzyme was a pesticide used by home vegetable gardeners called rotenone.

From Science Magazine • May 4, 2023

Explain the use of methylene blue as an antidote for rotenone poisoning.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Such chemicals already exist: the pyrethrins, rotenone, ryania, and others derived from plant substances.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023