[1970–75; back formation from biodegradable]This word is first recorded in the period 1970–75. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: consciousness-raising, cornrow, relational database, stress test, urban legend
Examples of 'biodegrade' in a sentence
biodegrade
They do not biodegrade there and are impossible to filter.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Yet it will never biodegrade, a big factor for many.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Plastic packaging can take more than 1,000 years to biodegrade.
The Sun (2012)
It will biodegrade in landfill, producing methane, contributing to global warming.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
And you would be right that, because they're made from plastic and aluminium, they take aeons to biodegrade.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
But if a product doesn't tell you under what conditions it will biodegrade, the word is meaningless.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They do not biodegrade but become shredded filaments of plastic, blown on to the fields and into the watercourses.
Times, Sunday Times (2018)
It claims that its compostable bin bags will biodegrade in a compost bin in 16 weeks.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
But the microbeads do not biodegrade so when flushed away, trillions end up in the marine food chain.
The Sun (2016)
Worse, lots of them are made from polyester that takes an estimated 500 years to biodegrade.