Pesticide
/ˈpɛs.tɪ.saɪd/noun
A substance used to kill pests.
Did you know?The ending -cide comes from Latin -cida, meaning “killer,” the same deadly root behind words like suicide and homicide.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
pestis
“plague, pest, destructive disease”
Latin
Latin
-cida
“killer, slayer”
19th Century
French/English
pesticide
“a substance for destroying pests”
Modern English
English
pesticide
“any substance used to kill or control pests”
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