Definition

A chemical compound that was used as an insecticide and is known to be toxic and persistent in the environment.

Example

Farmers used dieldrin to protect their crops from pests, but it was later banned due to its harmful effects.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of dieldrin?

Yeah, I think it was used as an insecticide a long time ago.

Exactly! I read that it's pretty toxic too.

Right, it seems like they phased it out for safety reasons.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Dieldrin is derived from the combination of "diel" (from the chemical term referring to the Diels-Alder reaction, named after chemist Otto Diels) and "drin" (a suffix used in the names of certain insecticides, derived from the word "insecticide"). The word refers to a specific type of insecticide that was developed through chemical processes.

Memory Tip

Think of the name 'Dieldrin' as a combination of a chemical reaction ('diel') and a type of insecticide ('drin'), which helps you remember that it is a chemical compound used for pest control.

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