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

People whose jobs expose them to pesticides have about a 60% higher risk of developing the neurodegenerative disease ALS, new research has found. — Aria Bendix, NBC news, 4 Aug. 2026

And those same conferences discuss all kinds of ideas for new mosquito pesticides, Diuk-Wasser, the researcher at Columbia, said. — Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 3 Aug. 2026

After the end of sugar, the old plantations had begun leasing their fallow cane lands to Big Ag companies, such as Dow, Pioneer, and Brun’s Syngenta, which took advantage of lax regulations to conduct experimental GMO and pesticide testing. — Guthrie Scrimgeour, Rolling Stone, 2 Aug. 2026

Their natural enemies live in the garden too; so, don’t spray with any kind of pesticide, oil or insecticidal soap. — Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Aug. 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