Aldicarb

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A highly toxic pesticide used primarily to control insect pests on crops; a chemical compound classified as a carbamate that inhibits nerve function in insects and mammals; a substance applied in agriculture to protect plants from damage caused by various harmful insects
2. A potent agricultural chemical designed to eliminate or deter insect infestations on cultivated plants; a member of the carbamate family that disrupts nervous system transmission in target species; a widely used insecticide known for its efficacy and high toxicity to living organisms
3. A systemic insecticide and acaricide employed in farming to control a broad spectrum of pests; a carbamate compound that acts as an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor affecting nerve impulses; a hazardous chemical agent utilized to safeguard crops from detrimental arthropods

Etymology: Aldicarb is a modern coinage, not an ancient word. It was developed in the 1960s by the American chemical company Union Carbide, and it is most likely a blend of "aldehyde" and "carb(amate)," the chemical family it belongs to, which reflects its molecular structure. The company marketed it as Temik, and it went into agricultural use around 1970. Because it is a systemic pesticide, the plant absorbs it and carries it through its tissues, so it protects crops from the inside. Its name is a technical label rather than a figurative one, and it has no older sense to trace.

Synonyms: carbamate insecticide, pesticide