larvicide

noun

lar·​vi·​cide ˈlär-və-ˌsīd How to pronounce larvicide (audio)
: an agent for killing larval pests
larvicidal adjective

Examples of larvicide in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web That means draining breeding sites, spraying larvicides (which are biological toxins and don’t cause resistance) on water that can’t be drained and moving homes out of swampy areas. Stephanie Nolen Malin Fezehai, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2023 Some regions take steps to control the mosquito population by removing places where mosquitoes lay eggs, killing eggs with larvicides and killing the adult population with adulticides. Dr. Adiba Matin, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2023 In late spring, the city starts bombing breeding grounds with larvicide — ground-up corncobs saturated with naturally occurring soil bacteria that are deadly to baby mosquitoes but generally harmless to other life. Andy Newman, New York Times, 29 Aug. 2023 For pools or small ponds that cannot be drained, the city is urging people to obtain a larvicide tablet from the city by contact 251-626-4884. John Sharp | Jsharp@al.com, al, 21 Aug. 2023 The agency said that sustainable ways to control mosquito populations include eliminating standing water sources where mosquitoes breed, using eco-friendly larvicides and promoting community awareness about mosquito control. Time, 22 June 2023 Alternatively, consider using larvicide biscuits — also known as mosquito dunks. Jill Gleeson, Country Living, 2 June 2023 The division began ramping up efforts Thursday, bringing in additional staff, and is working through the weekend, spraying the floodwater with larvicide during the day and adulticide at night. Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 15 Apr. 2023 Resources are also needed to disseminate the larvicide and to locate the water bodies that host the mosquito eggs and larvae. Andy Hardy, Discover Magazine, 22 Nov. 2017

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

Word History

Etymology

larva + -i- + -cide

First Known Use

circa 1888, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of larvicide was circa 1888

Dictionary Entries Near larvicide

Cite this Entry

“Larvicide.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/larvicide. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

larvicide

noun
lar·​vi·​cide ˈlär-və-ˌsīd How to pronounce larvicide (audio)
: a chemical substance used for killing larvae that are pests

Medical Definition

larvicide

noun
lar·​vi·​cide
variants also larvacide
: an agent for killing larvae
larvicidal adjective
larvicidally adverb
larviciding noun
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