chlorpyrifos

American  

[klawr-pir-uh-fos, klohr-] / klɔrˈpɪr əˌfɒs, kloʊr- /

noun

1. a broad-spectrum insecticide, C 9 H 11 Cl 3 NO 3 PS, used on lawns and ornamental plants.

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Etymology

Origin of chlorpyrifos

chlor- ² + pyri(dine) + -fos, for phosphorus

Example Sentences

Mice were exposed to aerosolized chlorpyrifos for 11 weeks through inhalation methods designed to mimic how people typically encounter the chemical.

From Science Daily • Mar. 16, 2026

Golf courses use high amounts of pesticides, like chlorpyrifos, which have been linked to Parkinson’s.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025

Children who live and go to school near farm fields where pesticides like chlorpyrifos are used show blood levels well above normal, and have higher rates of neurological problems as a result.

From Salon • Jan. 2, 2025

The saga of this pesticide, which has the unwieldy name chlorpyrifos, is a stark reminder of why so many Americans are alarmed about industrial farming and the food supply.

From New York Times • Dec. 4, 2024

Bennett said she was surprised to find detectable amounts of chlorpyrifos because farmers were supposed to have stopped applying the pesticide.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 30, 2024