pesticide

noun

pes·​ti·​cide ˈpe-stə-ˌsīd 

: an agent used to destroy pests

pesticidal

ˌpe-stə-ˈsī-dᵊl 

adjective

Examples of pesticide in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That includes farmers and agricultural workers who were exposed to pesticides while spraying their crops along with military veterans who never imagined that serving their country came with the risk of Parkinson’s disease. — Wuft News, Miami Herald, 29 July 2026

The purpose of using vinegar is not to kill pests but more to divert them, which is something that other pesticides do not do. — Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 28 July 2026

Climate change, habitat loss, pollution and plant pesticides have contributed to a picture where more than three-quarters of butterfly species are in decline. — The Week Uk, TheWeek, 28 July 2026

The chicken can eat only 100-percent organic feed—grown in soil free from synthetic pesticides and fertilizers for at least three years prior to harvest. — Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 26 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1925, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing pesticide

• anti-pesticide

Rhymes for pesticide

• actinide
• aldehyde
• alkoxide
• alongside
• amplified
• arsenide
• beautified
• biocide
• bisulphide
• butoxide
• calcified
• ceramide

Kids Definition

pesticide

noun

pes·​ti·​cide ˈpes-tə-ˌsīd 

: a substance used to destroy pests

pesticidal

ˌpes-tə-ˈsīd-ᵊl

adjective

Medical Definition

pesticide

noun

pes·​ti·​cide ˈpes-tə-ˌsīd 

: an agent used to destroy pests