Azadirachtin
/ˌæzəˈdɪrəktɪn/noun
A complex limonoid compound from neem seeds that acts mainly as an insect-feeding deterrent and growth regulator.
Did you know?Azadirachtin was isolated from neem in the 1960s and became famous because it can interfere with insect feeding, molting, growth, and reproduction without acting like a conventional fast-killing poison.
Etymological Timeline
Medieval Persian
Persian
āzād-darakht
““Free tree,” the traditional name applied to neem”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
azādh-darakht
“A borrowing of Persian āzād-darakht, referring to the neem tree”
18th Century
Latin
Azadirachta
“The botanical genus name for neem, adapted from the Arabic-Persian tree name”
1830
Scientific Latin
Azadirachta indica
“The formal species name for Indian neem”
1968
English scientific usage
azadirachtin
“Name given to the principal insect-active limonoid isolated from neem seed”
Modern English
English
azadirachtin
“A neem-derived botanical insecticide and insect-growth regulator”
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