Agrochemical
/ˌæɡroʊˈkɛmɪkəl/noun
A chemical product used in agriculture, especially fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides.
Did you know?The first half comes from Greek *agros* (“field”), while the second ultimately traces back to alchemy’s ancient lineage through Arabic and Greek, so the word quietly fuses farming with the old dream of transforming matter.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂éǵros
“field, open land”
Ancient Greek
Greek
agros
“field, countryside”
Latin
Latin
agricola
“farmer; field-dweller”
Arabic
Arabic
al-kīmiyāʾ
“alchemy, the art of transmutation”
Medieval Latin
Latin
chimia / alchimia
“alchemy; chemistry”
Modern English
English
agrochemical
“a chemical used in agriculture”
Explore more surprising origins