Definition

A chemical substance used to kill insects and mites, often applied to crops and plants to protect them from pests.

Example

Farmers often use dimethoate to protect their crops from harmful insects.

Conversation

Have you heard about dimethoate?

Yeah, isn't it used as an insecticide for crops?

Exactly! It's pretty popular among farmers.

I read it can be effective but also has some risks.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Dimethoate is formed from "di-" (meaning two) and "meth" (from methyl, which refers to a specific chemical group, CH3) and "-oate" (a suffix used in chemistry to denote esters or salts). The word refers to a chemical compound that contains two methyl groups and is used as an insecticide.

Memory Tip

Think of 'two' ('di-') methyl groups in the chemical structure of dimethoate, which helps you remember that it is a compound with two methyl components.

Visually Confused Words