pesticide

noun

pes·​ti·​cide ˈpe-stə-ˌsīd How to pronounce pesticide (audio)
: an agent used to destroy pests
pesticidal adjective

Examples of pesticide in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Forever chemicals:Indiana bill cutting protections from toxic PFAS chemicals appears to die in committee Last year the general assembly passed a law with provisions that put the ultimate authority to restrict the use of certain pesticides in the hands of the legislature. Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 13 Mar. 2024 But as a last rung, IPM allows the use of pesticides. Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2024 According to the Atlas of Pesticides, Brazil is the largest consumer and importer of pesticides in the world. Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 As their research reaches a conclusion that commercial pesticides are the culprit, and on the cusp of publishing their findings, the numbers inside the conclusion are telling a different story. David John Chávez, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2024 The government's plan also includes hundreds of millions of euros in aid, tax breaks and a promise not to ban pesticides in France that are allowed elsewhere in Europe. Sylvie Corbet, Quartz, 23 Feb. 2024 That first Earth Day, 20 million Americans participated in various efforts to bring awareness to environmental causes, such as fighting pollution, oil spills and pesticides. Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 6 Feb. 2024 And be mindful of repercussions when using any pesticide. Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2024 Palm leaf blunts and corn husk filters are also found to frequently fail for heavy metals, pesticides and microbial contamination. Harrison Bard, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pesticide.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1925, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pesticide was circa 1925

Dictionary Entries Near pesticide

Cite this Entry

“Pesticide.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pesticide. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pesticide

noun
pes·​ti·​cide ˈpes-tə-ˌsīd How to pronounce pesticide (audio)
: a substance used to destroy pests
pesticidal
ˌpes-tə-ˈsīd-ᵊl
adjective

Medical Definition

pesticide

noun
pes·​ti·​cide ˈpes-tə-ˌsīd How to pronounce pesticide (audio)
: an agent used to destroy pests
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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