biodegrade

[ bahy-oh-di-greyd ]

verb (used without object)

, bi·o·de·grad·ed, bi·o·de·grad·ing.

1. to decay and become absorbed by the environment:

   toys that will biodegrade when they're discarded.

Other Words From

• bi·o·deg·ra·da·tion [bahy-oh-deg-r, uh, -, dey, -sh, uh, n], noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of biodegrade¹

First recorded in 1970–75; back formation from biodegradable

Example Sentences

New research recently published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, outlines that marine bacteria found in chilly Canadian seas are capable of biodegrading oil and diesel fuel in response to oil spills.

From Popular-Science

This new research, conducted at around only 4 degrees Celsius, looked at the frigid waters in the Labrador Sea and confirmed that oil biodegrading bacteria is found internationally.

From Popular-Science

The outer is a 100 percent recycled-fiber jersey infused with Ciclo, an additive that allows synthetic fibers to biodegrade like natural fibers, which helps minimize microfiber plastic pollution.

From Outside Online

It could take years to biodegrade, endanger animals, or even put other people at risk.

From Popular-Science

Some years ago, a company asked the UCSD team to develop a greener surfboard, one that would biodegrade and not depend so much on fossil fuels.

From Science News For Students