Nearby Words

defoliator

[v. dee-foh-lee-eyt; adj. dee-foh-lee-it, -eyt] Origin

de·fo·li·ate

[v. dee-foh-lee-eyt; adj. dee-foh-lee-it, -eyt] verb, -at·ed, -at·ing, adjective
verb (used with object)
1.
to strip (a tree, bush, etc.) of leaves.
2.
to destroy or cause widespread loss of leaves in (an area of jungle, forest, etc.), as by using chemical sprays or incendiary bombs, in order to deprive enemy troops or guerrilla forces of concealment.
verb (used without object)
3.
to lose leaves.

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Defoliator is always a great word to know.
So is gobo. Does it mean:
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare.
adjective
4.
(of a tree) having lost its leaves, especially by a natural process.

Origin:
1785–1795; < Medieval Latin dēfoliātus, past participle of dēfoliāre, equivalent to Latin dē- de- + foli(um) leaf + -ātus -ate1

de·fo·li·a·tion, noun
de·fo·li·a·tor, noun
un·de·fo·li·at·ed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To defoliator
Collins
World English Dictionary
defoliate
 
vb
1.  to deprive (a plant) of its leaves, as by the use of a herbicide, or (of a plant) to shed its leaves
 
adj
2.  (of a plant) having shed its leaves
 
[C18: from Medieval Latin dēfoliāre, from Latin de- + folium leaf]
 
defoli'ation
 
n
 
de'foliator
 
n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
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Word Origin & History

defoliate
1793, from Mod.L. defoliare, from de- + folium "leaf" (see folio). Earlier in this sense was defoil (c.1600).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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