pesticide

noun

pes·​ti·​cide ˈpe-stə-ˌsīd How to pronounce pesticide (audio)
Synonyms of pesticidenext
: an agent used to destroy pests
pesticidal adjective

Examples of pesticide in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Carson had been thinking about the pesticide DDT since the 1940s. Literary Hub, 8 June 2026 Guests milk goats, walk down hydroponic rows, learn how edible flowers act as pollinators in pesticide-free ecosystems, and sit down for farm-to-table meals meant to spark conversation. Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026 Middle Eastern countries are major providers of petrochemicals used to create fertilizers and pesticides that are essential to produce our food. Wayne Winegarden, Oc Register, 7 June 2026 But the proliferation of the modern farmers market came on the heels of the back-to-the-Earth movement, which gave voice to a growing distrust of industrial farming that relied on herbicides and pesticides, and viewed the smaller markets as a healthy alternative. John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 4 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for pesticide

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1925, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pesticide was circa 1925

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pesticide.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pesticide. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

pesticide

noun
pes·​ti·​cide ˈpes-tə-ˌsīd How to pronounce pesticide (audio)
: a substance used to destroy pests
pesticidal
ˌpes-tə-ˈsīd-ᵊl
adjective

Medical Definition

pesticide

noun
pes·​ti·​cide ˈpes-tə-ˌsīd How to pronounce pesticide (audio)
: an agent used to destroy pests
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