Skip to content

pesticide

pesticide

noun pes-tee-SEED Rare

Usage Note

Pesticide covers any chemical used to kill pests including insects, fungi, and weeds; insecticide and herbicide are more specific terms within this category. Debate around pesticides and food safety is prominent in French public discourse, often linked to the term agriculture bio (organic farming).

Examples

"Ces pesticides contaminent les nappes phréatiques."

Natural Translation

These pesticides contaminate groundwater.

Free starter pack

Building your French vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common French words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Explore French by topic