photodegradable

[ foh-toh-di-grey-duh-buhl ]

adjective

1. (of a substance) capable of being broken down by light.

photodegradable

/ ˌfəʊtəʊdɪˈɡreɪdəbəl /

adjective

1. (of plastic) capable of being decomposed by prolonged exposure to light

photodegradable

/ fō′tō-dĭ-grā′də-bəl /

1. Capable of decomposing when exposed to light. Photodegradable plastic, for example, becomes brittle and breaks into smaller pieces when exposed to sunlight, helping reduce litter and environmental damage.

Word History and Origins

Origin of photodegradable¹

First recorded in 1970–75; photo- + degradable

Example Sentences

Three years ago, a team of scientists led by a University of Toronto chemist designed a plastic that would self-destruct in direct sunlight; a company in Delaware offers a kind of cellulose that dissolves in water; another in Idaho is marketing a process that makes styrene products break down into photodegradable substances.

From Time Magazine Archive