allelopathy

noun

al·​le·​lop·​a·​thy ə-ˈlē-lə-ˌpa-thē 

-ˈle-lə-;

also

ˌa-lə-ˈlä-pə-thē 

: the suppression of growth of one plant species by another due to the release of toxic substances

allelopathic

ə-ˌlē-lə-ˈpa-thik 

-ˌle-lə-

adjective

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from German Allelopathie, from allelo- allelo- + -pathie -pathy

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined above