biocide

noun

bio·​cide ˈbī-ə-ˌsīd How to pronounce biocide (audio)
: a substance (such as an algicide or fungicide) that destroys or inhibits the growth or activity of living organisms
Sodium azide is an explosive, broad-spectrum biocide with toxicity comparable to sodium cyanide's.— Science News

Examples of biocide in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Many flower food packets are just a mix of sugar (which helps the blooms and buds open up), citric acid (helps prevent bacterial growth in the water), and a biocide like bleach (which also helps disinfect the water and prevent bacteria). — Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Feb. 2025 Whereas open fire converted dead biomass into nutrients and purged sites of pests and competing plants, modern agriculture relies on petrochemicals that get cooked into fertilizer and biocides and delivered by pumps, planes and tractors powered by fossil fuels. — Stephen Pyne, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of biocide was in 1947

Rhymes for biocide

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Browse Nearby Words

biocidal
biocide
bioclast
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Cite this Entry

“Biocide.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biocide. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

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Medical Definition

biocide

noun
bio·​cide ˈbī-ə-ˌsīd How to pronounce biocide (audio)
: a substance (as glutaraldehyde) that is destructive to many different organisms
biocidal
ˌbī-ə-ˈsīd-ᵊl How to pronounce biocide (audio)
adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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