A pesticide is defined as a chemical agent used to destroy or control pests. The root word is the Latin word “cida” which means to kill. The generic term “pesticides” can apply to a wide spectrum of chemicals, including insecticides, rodenticides, herbicides, fungicides, biocides, and similar chemicals.
Pesticide active ingredients are described by the types of pests they control or how they work. People often use the term "pesticide" to refer only to insecticides, but it actually applies to all the substances used to control pests.
Well known pesticides include:
- insecticides,
- herbicides,
- rodenticides, and
- fungicides.