Defoliate

Pronunciation: /diˈfoʊliˌeɪt/

Definitions of defoliate

verb to cause the leaves to fall off a plant or tree, typically as a result of disease, weather conditions, or chemicals

Example Sentences

A1 The gardener defoliates the trees in the autumn.

A2 The strong winds defoliated the branches of the trees.

B1 The company had to defoliate the area before starting construction.

B2 The pesticide used in the field accidentally defoliated the surrounding plants.

C1 The defoliation of the forest was a controversial decision made by the government.

C2 The defoliation caused by the wildfire was devastating for the local ecosystem.

Examples of defoliate in a Sentence

formal The herbicide was used to defoliate the trees in the forest.

informal They sprayed something on the trees to defoliate them.

slang They went all out with the defoliation on those trees.

figurative The scandal had the power to defoliate the reputation of the politician.

Grammatical Forms of defoliate

• past tense: defoliated
• plural: defoliate
• comparative: more defoliate
• superlative: most defoliate
• present tense: defoliates
• future tense: will defoliate
• perfect tense: has defoliated
• continuous tense: is defoliating
• singular: defoliate
• positive degree: defoliate
• infinitive: to defoliate
• gerund: defoliating
• participle: defoliating

Origin and Evolution of defoliate

First Known Use: 1601 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'defoliate' originated from the Latin word 'defoliatus', which is a combination of 'de-' (meaning 'away') and 'folium' (meaning 'leaf').

Evolution of the word: Originally used in the context of removing leaves from plants or trees, the meaning of 'defoliate' has evolved to also refer to the process of causing the leaves of a plant to fall off prematurely, often due to the use of chemicals or environmental factors.