herbicidal
Definition
Adjective: Relating to or having the property of destroying or controlling unwanted vegetation, especially weeds.
Usage Examples
- (The spray is designed to kill weeds or unwanted vegetation.)
- (Chemicals that destroy weeds require cautious application.)
- (The compound's ability to kill plants was evaluated.)
Advanced Usage
"herbicidal activity": the capacity of a substance to kill or inhibit plant growth.
- The new formula shows strong herbicidal activity against broadleaf weeds. (The substance effectively kills broadleaf weeds.)
"herbicidal residue": the remaining amount of a herbicide in the environment after application.
- Soil tests detected herbicidal residue from last season's treatment. (Traces of the weed-killing chemical were found in the soil.)
Variants and Related Words
Herbicide (noun): a substance used to destroy unwanted vegetation.
- The herbicide was sprayed on the field to control weeds. (A chemical weed killer was applied.)
Herbicidal (adjective): relating to a herbicide (the target word itself).
Synonyms
Weed-killing: having the property of killing weeds.
- The weed-killing spray was effective against dandelions. (Synonymous with herbicidal.)
Phytotoxic: toxic to plants (often used in a scientific context).
- The phytotoxic effects of the chemical were observed in the laboratory. (The chemical harmed plant tissues.)
Related Idioms
- "Kill two birds with one stone": achieve two goals with a single action (not directly related, but can describe a herbicidal product that also fertilizes).
- This herbicidal fertilizer kills weeds and feeds the lawn at the same time. (A product that combines two functions.)
Phrasal Verbs
"Kill off": to destroy or eliminate completely.
- The herbicidal treatment killed off all the invasive vines. (The treatment removed the unwanted plants entirely.)
"Wipe out": to eradicate or destroy.
- The herbicide wiped out the weed population in the garden. (The chemical eliminated the weeds.)