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acaricide

acaricide

9.9
A chemical used to kill mites and ticks
  • noun
  • /ˈækəˌrɪsaɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : acaricida
  • To ensure the garden remains healthy, they regularly spray acaricide during the tick season.

Examples

  • Farmers use acaricide to protect their crops from damaging mites.

  • Now, the acaricide in the dipping vats needs to be changed only once every 2 years," says Ed Bowers, assistant director of field operations for APHIS' tick eradication program in the quarantine zone.

    Academic text (1994)
  • Bottom: Temporary fluorescent markings, transferred from the feeder rollers, show scientists exactly where acaricide contacts the deer.

    Academic text (1994)
  • The veterinary clinic applied an acaricide to treat the dog's tick infestation.

Synonyms

miticide
vsacaricide
  • Specialized
8.0

A product used to kill mites on plants or animals

includes killing both mites and ticks rather than mites alone

Surface Forms

acaricide singular
acaricides plural

Morphology

acaricide = acari (semi-transparent) = acari + cide

The meaning is built regularly from the scientific base 'acari' plus '-cide' meaning 'killer', but the base is not a common everyday English word.

Etymology

The word acaricide comes from the Greek root akari meaning 'mite' and the suffix -cide meaning 'killer', just like in pesticide or insecticide. So, an acaricide is a chemical substance that kills mites and ticks.