biodegradable

adjective

bio·​de·​grad·​able ˌbī-(ˌ)ō-di-ˈgrā-də-bəl How to pronounce biodegradable (audio)
: capable of being broken down especially into innocuous products by the action of living things (such as microorganisms)
biodegradable trash bags
biodegradable noun
plural biodegradables
"… we would never discourage the development of technologies that promote recyclables or biodegradables. [=biodegradable materials]" Ruth Lampi
biodegrade verb

Did you know?

In biodegradable, with its root grad, "to step or move", and its prefix de- "downward", we get an adjective describing things that can be broken down into basic substances through normal environmental processes. Animal and plant products are normally biodegradable, but mineral substances such as metals, glass, and plastics usually are not. Newly developed biodegradable plastics are now appearing in numerous products. However, "biodegradable" products can vary greatly in how long they take to break down. A loaf of bread may require only a couple of weeks, and a piece of paper may vanish in a couple of months, but some "biodegradable" plastic milk cartons may take four or five years.

Examples of biodegradable in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For example, replace single-use plastic products with biodegradable materials. Melissa Houston, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024 The base of the razor is made from a biodegradable material, so it's encouraged to detach the blade from the base in order to recycle the majority of the tool. Madison Yauger, People.com, 11 Oct. 2024 Create biodegradable confetti with leaves and a hole punch. Make botanical art with tracing paper, crayons, and leaves of different shapes. Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Oct. 2024 Place in decorative paper or biodegradable baggies. Nafeesah Allen, Parents, 30 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for biodegradable 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'biodegradable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of biodegradable was in 1959

Dictionary Entries Near biodegradable

Cite this Entry

“Biodegradable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biodegradable. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

biodegradable

adjective
bio·​de·​grad·​able -di-ˈgrād-ə-bəl How to pronounce biodegradable (audio)
: capable of being broken down especially into harmless products by the action of living things (as bacteria)
biodegradability noun
biodegrade verb

Medical Definition

biodegradable

adjective
bio·​de·​grad·​able -di-ˈgrād-ə-bəl How to pronounce biodegradable (audio)
: capable of being broken down especially into innocuous products by the action of living things (as microorganisms)
biodegradability noun
plural biodegradabilities
biodegradation noun
biodegrade verb
biodegraded; biodegrading

More from Merriam-Webster on biodegradable

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!