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Glite Dictionary
metaldehyde

metaldehyde

1 8.6
A chemical used in gardens to kill slugs and snails
  • noun
  • /ˌmɛtəlˈhaɪd/
  • Specialized
: metaldehído
  • Many gardeners use metaldehyde to protect their vegetables from slugs.

Examples

  • Always keep metaldehyde pellets away from pets and children.

  • The gardener applied metaldehyde to control the slug population.

  • The use of metaldehyde is regulated in some countries due to environmental concerns.

  • Many farmers use metaldehyde as an effective pesticide.

  • Farmers often use metaldehyde in their gardens to effectively control the slug population.

  • The presence of metaldehyde in gardening products is noted for its ability to repel snails and slugs.

  • When applied correctly, metaldehyde acts as a pesticide that helps protect crops from damage caused by snails.

Surface Forms

metaldehyde singular
metaldehydes plural

Morphology

metaldehyde = aldehyde (opaque) = meta + aldehyde

Although the word is formally built from meta- + aldehyde, its chemical meaning is specialized and not predictable for an average learner from those parts.

Etymology

Metaldehyde breaks into meta- meaning 'changed' or 'after' (think of metamorphosis, a change) and aldehyde, which is 'a simple chemical related to alcohol'. So metaldehyde is a 'changed' form of an aldehyde, which fits its use as a specific chemical often used as a pesticide to kill slugs in gardens.