Definition

A chemical used to kill insects, often found in agricultural and gardening products, that is less harmful to animals compared to some other pesticides.

Example

Farmers often use malathion to protect their crops from pests.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of malathion?

Yeah, it's that pesticide, right?

Exactly! I read it's less toxic to mammals than some other options.

That's good to know; I always worry about chemicals in my garden.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Malathion is derived from the combination of 'mal-' (from the Greek 'malus', meaning bad) and 'thion' (from the Greek 'thion', meaning sulfur). The word refers to a chemical compound that is a bad or harmful form of sulfur used as an insecticide.

Memory Tip

Think of 'mal-' meaning bad and 'thion' relating to sulfur, which helps you remember that malathion is a harmful chemical compound.

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