biodegradable

adjective bio·de·grad·able \ ˌbī-(ˌ)ō-di-ˈgrā-də-bəl \

Updated on: 12 May 2018

Definition of biodegradable

: capable of being broken down especially into innocuous products by the action of living things (such as microorganisms)

biodegradable trash bags

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biodegradability

play \ˌbī-(ˌ)ō-di-ˌgrā-də-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

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biodegradable

noun, plural biodegradables

- "… we would never discourage the development of technologies that promote recyclables or biodegradables. [=biodegradable materials]"
- —Ruth Lampi

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biodegradation

play \ˌbī-(ˌ)ō-ˌde-grə-ˈdā-shən\ noun

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biodegrade

play \ˌbī-(ˌ)ō-di-ˈgrād\ verb

See biodegradable defined for English-language learners

See biodegradable defined for kids

Recent Examples of biodegradable from the Web

At an agricultural-research facility near the Portuguese border, scientists use EU funds for clever schemes that exploit local crops, such as a biodegradable lacquer for tin cans created from tomato skins.

— The Economist, "The EU’s budget is being dragged into the 21st century," 5 May 2018
Glencoe spokeswoman Megan Hoffman said that on Wednesdays through Dec. 15, residents may place compostable materials such as eggshells and fruit peels in a biodegradable yard waste bag or in their curbside yard waste bins.

— daniel i. dorfman, chicagotribune.com, "Glencoe residents can now compost through village garbage pickup," 24 Apr. 2018
Lucks said biodegradable packaging can be up to five times the cost of non-biodegradable products.

— morgan hughes, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Sense of stewardship motivates Milwaukee restaurants to adopt green practices," 20 Apr. 2018
Presenting Spring Yard Waste for collection: Residents should place their 30-gallon biodegradable paper bags at the curb by 6 a.m. on their refuse collection day.

— Courant Community, "Community News For The West Hartford Edition," 17 Apr. 2018
The report found that 70 percent of marine litter consists of non-biodegradable plastic.

— don sweeney, sacbee, "A sperm whale died from eating 64 pounds of plastic litter, marine experts say | The Sacramento Bee," 9 Apr. 2018
The organization said the issue is important because plastic straws are not biodegradable, are difficult to recycle and often end up polluting oceans, lakes and rivers.

— colleen kane, chicagotribune.com, "White Sox are 1st MLB team to ditch single-use plastic straws," 20 Apr. 2018
According to company CEO Jens Klein, the shoe isn’t just biodegradable or, well, cool.

— jonathan kauffman, San Francisco Chronicle, "The next generation of clothing is coming. It’s made by microbes.," 19 Apr. 2018
Researchers are hopeful that the quick action in banning microbeads will pave the way for banning other plastic items that could easily be replaced with biodegradable options.

— bailey bischoff, The Christian Science Monitor, "How the world made macro strides in curbing microbeads," 18 Apr. 2018

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

Did You Know?

In biodegradable, with its root grad, "to step or move", and its prefix de- "downward", we get an adjective describing things that can be broken down into basic substances through normal environmental processes. Animal and plant products are normally biodegradable, but mineral substances such as metals, glass, and plastics usually are not. Newly developed biodegradable plastics are now appearing in numerous products. However, "biodegradable" products can vary greatly in how long they take to break down. A loaf of bread may require only a couple of weeks, and a piece of paper may vanish in a couple of months, but some "biodegradable" plastic milk cartons may take four or five years.

First Known Use of biodegradable

1959

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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Other Biochemistry Terms

bile, capsaicin, keratin, metabolism

BIODEGRADABLE Defined for English Language Learners

biodegradable

adjective

Definition of biodegradable for English Language Learners

: capable of being slowly destroyed and broken down into very small parts by natural processes, bacteria, etc.

BIODEGRADABLE Defined for Kids

biodegradable

adjective bio·de·grad·able \ ˌbī-ō-di-ˈgrā-də-bəl \

Definition of biodegradable for Students

: possible to break down into very small harmless parts by the action of living things (as bacteria)

Medical Dictionary

biodegradable

adjective bio·de·grad·able \ -di-ˈgrād-ə-bəl \

medical Definition of biodegradable

: capable of being broken down especially into innocuous products by the action of living things (as microorganisms)

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biodegradability

play \-ˌgrād-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē\ noun, plural -ties

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biodegradation

play \-ˌdeg-rə-ˈdā-shən\ noun

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biodegrade

play \-di-ˈgrād\ verb biodegraded; biodegrading

Learn More about biodegradable

See words that rhyme with biodegradable Spanish Central: Translation of biodegradable Nglish: Translation of biodegradable for Spanish speakers

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biodegradable

Definition of biodegradable

biodegradability

biodegradable

biodegradation

biodegrade

Recent Examples of biodegradable from the Web

Did You Know?

First Known Use of biodegradable

Other Biochemistry Terms

BIODEGRADABLE Defined for English Language Learners

biodegradable

Definition of biodegradable for English Language Learners

BIODEGRADABLE Defined for Kids

biodegradable

Definition of biodegradable for Students

Medical Dictionary

biodegradable

medical Definition of biodegradable

biodegradability

biodegradation

biodegrade

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