atrazine

noun at·ra·zine \ ˈa-trə-ˌzēn \

Updated on: 13 May 2018

Definition of atrazine

: a photosynthesis-inhibiting persistent herbicide C₈H₁₄ClN₅ used especially to kill annual weeds and quack grass

Recent Examples of atrazine from the Web

As a control, one field was treated with atrazine before the corn was planted (a full control using no herbicides at all would have been destroyed by weeds without an overwhelming amount of hand weeding).

— The Economist, "For better or worseSpraying herbicides changes the flavour and nutritional value of crops," 1 Mar. 2018
Atrazine: A herbicide, found within legal limits and above state and national averages.

— ian cummings, kansascity, "How safe is KC area water? You can use this new database to check it," 4 Aug. 2017
Some chemicals of concern include estrogens from birth control pills, the plasticizer bisphenol A, and the herbicide atrazine.

— National Geographic, "Why Are These Male Fish Growing Eggs?," 3 Feb. 2016
Chemicals such as atrazine, tetrachloroethylene, and ethylene dibromide are known to contaminate drinking water supplies.

— laura grace weldon, WIRED, "The Future Of Water Is Zuvo," 17 Jan. 2013

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'atrazine.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.