What does insecticide mean?
An insecticide is a substance, often a chemical preparation, used to kill insects or control insect populations. Its uses range from protecting crops and livestock from pests to controlling mosquitoes and other insects that transmit disease and from dealing with household infestations. Insecticides may act by affecting the nervous system, disrupting growth, poisoning the insect, or interfering with another biological process. The word is closely related to pesticide, but it is narrower because pesticides can also include herbicides, fungicides, and other pest-control agents. In everyday use, the term often carries an association with intensive chemical agriculture, environmental effects, and the development of resistance in insect populations. It remains an important term in agriculture, medicine, public health, and pest management.
nounA substance or chemical preparation used to kill insects, especially insects that damage crops, contaminate food, or spread disease.
- A chemical substance or preparation intended to kill insects.
"The farmers applied an insecticide to protect the fruit trees from aphids."
"The insecticide was sprayed over the crop shortly before the infestation began."
"Consumers may be concerned about traces of insecticide on fruit and vegetables."
The plural is used when referring to multiple insect-control substances, products, or treatments.
"Several insecticides are approved for use on the crop."
Insecticides helped transform agriculture, but their widespread use also created resistance and environmental concerns that still shape how they are applied.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does insecticide come from?
The word combines Latin insectum, meaning “insect,” with the combining form -cide, from Latin caedere, “to kill.” The first element passed through Old French and Middle English in the word insect, while the second was used in English to form compounds such as fungicide and herbicide. The combination insecticide developed in the modern period as chemical pest control became established.
Related word forms
How insecticide is actually used
The term is used in agriculture, public health, household pest control, and environmental discussions. It usually refers specifically to products or chemicals that kill insects, although the word can be used more broadly for pest-control substances affecting insects at different stages of their life cycle.
Easily confused with insecticide
An insecticide specifically kills insects, whereas a pesticide is the broader term for substances that kill pests such as insects, weeds, fungi, or rodents.
An insecticide targets insects, while a fungicide is used to control or prevent fungal diseases.