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Definition of defoliant

defoliant

/diːˈfoʊ.li.ənt/
de · fo · li · ant
Plural:defoliants
•
Adjective:defoliant
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defoliant Lexical Profile

defoliant Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A chemical substance applied to plants or trees to cause their leaves to fall off prematurely, used in agriculture to facilitate harvesting or in land clearing.

Example

"Cotton growers sometimes apply a chemical defoliant in the autumn to make mechanical harvesting easier and cleaner."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for defoliant

• adjective

1

Causing or tending to cause leaves to fall off plants or trees prematurely.

Example

"The agricultural team tested the defoliant properties of the new compound before applying it to the cotton fields."

• Rhymes for defoliant

• Nearby Words

defocus
defog
defogger
defoliant
defoliate
deforest
deforestation

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the mid-20th century from Late Latin defoliare ('to strip of leaves'), combining the prefix de- ('off, away') with folium ('leaf') and the agentive suffix -ant.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Defoliant. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/defoliant
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