Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense defoliates, present participle defoliating, past tense, past participle defoliated
verb
To defoliate an area or the plants in it means to cause the leaves on the plants to fall off or be destroyed. This is done especially in war to remove protection from an enemy.
Large areas of jungle were defoliated by a chemical. [VERB noun]
defoliation (diːfoʊlieɪʃən)uncountable noun
...preventing defoliation of trees by caterpillars.
defoliate in British English
verb (diːˈfəʊlɪˌeɪt)
1.
to deprive (a plant) of its leaves, as by the use of a herbicide, or (of a plant) to shed its leaves
adjective (diːˈfəʊlɪɪt)
2.
(of a plant) having shed its leaves
Derived forms
defoliation (deˌfoliˈation)
noun
defoliator (deˈfoliˌator)
noun
Word origin
C18: from Medieval Latin dēfoliāre, from Latin de- + folium leaf
defoliate in American English
(diˈfoʊliˌeɪt)
verb transitiveWord forms: deˈfoliˌated or deˈfoliˌating
1.
to strip (trees, etc.) of leaves
2. US
to use a defoliant on
Derived forms
defoliation (deˌfoliˈation)
noun
defoliator (deˈfoliˌator)
noun
Word origin
< LL defoliatus, pp. of defoliare < de-, from + folium, a leaf: see foliate
Examples of 'defoliate' in a sentence
defoliate
Another guy said it was too bad we weren't Americans'cause if we were, we could call in the B52s and defoliate it.