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Glite Dictionary
larvacide

larvacide

9.2
A substance used to kill young insects before they become adults
  • noun
  • /ˈlɑːrvəˌsaɪd/
  • UK
translation icon : larvicida
  • The city sprayed larvacide in stagnant water to control the mosquito population.

Examples

  • Many gardeners prefer organic larvacides for pest control.

  • The farmer used a larvacide to protect his crops.

  • Most larvacide treatments target the early life stages of pests before they become adults.

  • Using a larvacide can reduce the need for adult insecticides in gardens.

  • The city sprayed larvacide in stagnant water to control the mosquito population.

  • Using a larvacide can reduce the need for adult insecticides in gardens.

  • Many gardeners prefer organic larvacides for pest control.

Synonyms

insecticide
vslarvacide
  • Specialized
26 4.1

A chemical used to kill insects that harm crops or homes

targets only immature insects rather than insects of all stages
larvicide
vslarvacide
  • Specialized
8.1

A chemical that kills young insects before they become adults, like mosquito larvae

is any substance or agent used to kill immature insects not only chemicals

Surface Forms

larvacide singular
larvacides plural

Morphology

larvacide = larva (transparent) = larva + cide

The meaning is directly compositional: a substance that kills larvae.

Etymology

Larvacide comes from larva, meaning 'young insect', and the ending -cide, meaning 'kill', the same ending you see in pesticide or homicide. So a larvacide is a substance that kills insect larvae, which explains why it is used to stop pests before they become adults.