defoliant

[ dee-foh-lee-uhnt ]

noun

1. a preparation for defoliating plants.

defoliant

/ diːˈfəʊlɪənt /

noun

1. a chemical sprayed or dusted onto trees to cause their leaves to fall, esp to remove cover from an enemy in warfare

Word History and Origins

Origin of defoliant¹

First recorded in 1940–45; defoli(ate) + -ant

Example Sentences

“Damnation Spring,” by Ash DavidsonAn experienced logger and his young wife in Northern California suspect a defoliant being used to clear brush is poisoning their community.

From Washington Post

It was also the largest producer of the notorious Agent Orange, a dioxin-based defoliant used to clear forests during the Vietnam War, dubbed “the Darth Vader of toxic chemicals,” because it lays waste to so many biological systems in the body.

From Washington Post

Related Words

• fungicide
• insecticide
• pesticide