defoliant

Definitions

de- (off) + foli (leaf) + -ant (agent noun) = 'a thing that takes leaves off' — a chemical that makes leaves drop. It is the agent noun matching the verb defoliate.

Why It Means This

Though it literally just means 'leaf-remover,' the word carries heavy historical weight: Agent Orange, sprayed during the Vietnam War to strip jungle cover, was a defoliant, and its toxic aftermath gave the term a lasting association with chemical warfare.

Common Collocations

• 1.chemical defoliant化学落叶剂
• 2.apply a defoliant施用落叶剂
• 3.spray a defoliant喷洒落叶剂

Example Sentences

• 1.

  Agent Orange was a defoliant used during the Vietnam War.

• 2.

  Farmers sometimes apply a defoliant to make harvesting easier.

• 3.

  The defoliant left the hillside completely bare.