pesticide etymology

Etymology

The word "pesticide" is derived from Latin.

  • Pest (from Latin "pestis", meaning "plague")
  • -cide (from Latin "caedere", meaning "to kill")

Meaning

A pesticide is a chemical or biological agent that is used to kill or control pests, such as insects, rodents, fungi, or weeds. Pesticides are commonly used in agriculture, forestry, and public health.

Origin

The term "pesticide" was first used in the early 20th century. Prior to that, the term "insecticide" was more commonly used to refer to chemicals used to kill insects. The term "pesticide" was adopted to encompass a broader range of chemicals used to control a wider range of pests.

History

Pesticides have been used by humans for centuries. Some of the earliest known pesticides were derived from plants, such as pyrethrum (from the chrysanthemum flower) and rotenone (from the roots of certain tropical plants). In the 20th century, synthetic pesticides were developed, such as DDT and organophosphates. These synthetic pesticides were more effective than natural pesticides, but they also had greater potential for environmental and human health hazards.

The use of pesticides has been controversial since their development. Some pesticides have been banned or restricted due to their potential for harming humans, wildlife, or the environment. However, pesticides remain an essential tool for managing pests and protecting crops, forests, and public health.

pesticide relate terms

  • pest

    Etymology The word pest originates from the Latin word pestis which means plague o

  • acquisition

    Etymology The word acquisition comes from the Latin word acquirere meaning to acqui

  • stillicide

    Etymology Latin stillicidium a dripping from stillare to drip cidium cide

  • abscise

    Etymology Origin Latin abscidere cut off Break down ab off away from scindere

  • avicide

    Etymology avi Latin bird cide Latin killer Meaning A substance or agent that

  • biocide

    Etymology and Meaning The term biocide is derived from two Greek roots bio βίο

  • caesarian

    Etymology and Meaning The term caesarian originates from the Latin word caesarius w

  • caesura

    Etymology Latin caesūra cutting a pause Ultimately from Greek κεασις keasis

  • cement

    Etymology The word cement comes from the Latin word caementum which refers to broken

  • chisel

    Etymology The word chisel is derived from the Late Latin word cisellus which is the

  • circumcision

    Etymology Latin circumcisio from circumcidere to cut around Proto Indo European root

  • concise

    Concise Etymology From Latin concisus past participle of concidere meaning to

  • decide

    Etymology Decide derived from the Latin verb decidere which means to cut off to

  • decision

    Etymology Late Middle English from Anglo Norman French descisioun from Latin decisio

  • excise

    Etymology Middle English excise from Middle French excise from Latin excisus past p

  • excision

    Etymology The word excision originates from the Latin word excīdere meaning to cu

  • felicide

    Etymology Feli from Latin felis cat cide from Latin cida killer Meanin

  • filicide

    Etymology Latin filius son cide killing Meaning The act of killing one

  • floricide

    Etymology Floricide is a portmanteau of the Latin words flos flower and caedere t

  • fungicide

    Etymology and Meaning Fungicide is a portmanteau of two Latin words Fungus meaning

  • gallinicide

    Etymology Origin Late 19th century From New Latin gallinicida from Latin gallina he

  • germicide

    Etymology The word germicide is derived from two Latin words Germ Meaning seed or

  • herbicide

    Etymology The word herbicide is derived from two Latin words herba meaning herb

  • homicide

    Etymology Derived from the Latin words homo man and caedere to kill Originally

  • incise

    Etymology The word incise originates from the Latin word incidere which means to c

  • incision

    Etymology From Latin incīsus past participle of incīdere to cut into From in

  • incisor

    Etymology of Incisor The word incisor is derived from the Latin word incisus whic

  • infanticide

    Etymology Latin infans infant cide act of killing Meaning Infanticide re

  • legicide

    Etymology and Meaning The term legicide comes from Latin Legis noun meaning law

  • liberticide

    Etymology The word liberticide is derived from the Latin words liber meaning free

  • libricide

    Etymology The term libricide is derived from Latin liber book Latin cide

  • matricide

    Etymology From Latin mātrīcīdium from mātrīcīda from mātrī genitive of māt

  • patricide

    Etymology Patri Latin Father cide Latin Killing Meaning The killing of one s

  • pesticide

    Etymology The word pesticide is derived from Latin Pest from Latin pestis meanin

  • precise

    Precise Etymology Etymology refers to the origin and development of words Precise etymol

  • precision

    Etymology The word precision derives from the Latin word praecisio which means a cu

  • scissors

    Etymology The word scissors is derived from the Old French word ciseor pair of scis

  • senicide

    Etymology The word senicide is derived from Latin senex genitive senis meanin

  • suicide

    Etymology The word suicide is derived from the Latin roots sui self caedere to

  • spray

    Etymology The word spray comes from the Middle Dutch word spraien meaning to scatt

  • guinea

    Etymology The word guinea has a complex etymology with multiple possible origins 1

  • pledge

    Etymology The word pledge comes from the Old English word plegg meaning a pledge

  • prevent

    Etymology Prevent comes from the Middle French prévenir from the Latin praevenire a

  • phobia

    Etymology The word phobia originates from the Greek word phobos meaning fear or

  • harbinger

    Etymology Latin harbingerus meaning foreteller of events Old French harbergeur me

  • prosperous

    Etymology The word prosperous is derived from the Latin word prosperus which means

  • seminar

    Etymology The word seminar originates from the Latin word seminarium which can be tr

  • uncanny

    Etymology Uncanny derives from Middle English oncunnend meaning unknown or stran

  • fantastic

    Etymology The word fantastic originates from the Greek word phantastikos meaning p