Word
biodegradable
Phoneticsbiodegrad·able
US/ˌbaɪoʊdəˈɡɹeɪdəbəɫ/
UK/bˌaɪəʊdɪɡɹˈeɪdəbəl/
Definition
adj. able to be broken down naturally by bacteria or other living things. You use this to describe things like plastic bags that disappear over time.
adj. capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms. Often used to describe materials that break down into natural substances without leaving toxic residues.
Examples
“You should throw away these biodegradable bags in the garden.”
“The company switched to biodegradable packaging to reduce the amount of plastic waste it produces.”
“While some synthetic materials claim to be biodegradable, the process often requires specific industrial conditions that are not available in a typical landfill environment.”
Examples
simple
“You should throw away these biodegradable bags in the garden.”
contextual
“The company switched to biodegradable packaging to reduce the amount of plastic waste it produces.”
complex
“While some synthetic materials claim to be biodegradable, the process often requires specific industrial conditions that are not available in a typical landfill environment.”
Real-World Examples
“Nature invented biodegradable plastic long before humans did—and animals may have been feeding on it for hundreds of millions of years.” “Use biodegradable, eco-friendly products that are better for the environment and softer on the skin.” “Over the years, the bioplastic industry has experienced significant advances as researchers continue to develop improved biodegradable plastic.” Etymology
From bio- + degradable.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/biodegradable