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

Over several decades, hundreds and hundreds of tons — hundreds of thousands of gallons — of acid waste from the pesticide DDT and even DDT itself were dumped into the ocean off the Palos Verdes Peninsula and near Catalina Island. — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026

Even cucumbers that look perfectly clean can harbor dirt, bacteria, and pesticide residue on their skin. — Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 13 July 2026

And in a case about the popular weedkiller Roundup, Thomas raised bigger questions about whether the federal law regulating pesticides gives the Environmental Protection Agency too much power. — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 11 July 2026

During the Biden presidency, the EPA approved one new PFAS pesticide. — Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 10 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