biodegrade en · VERB
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gʷeyh₃-der. Ancient Greek βῐ́ος (bĭ́os) Ancient Greek βῐο- (bĭo-)der. English bio- English degrade English biodegrade From bio- + degrade.
Meanings
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To decompose as a result of biological action, especially by microorganisms.
PLA decomposes slowly, but plants can help the material biodegrade five to seven times faster in the soil, Kato says.
2026 February 17, Simmone Shah, “Biodegradable Beads Are Helping Mardi Gras Go Green”, in TIME, archived from the original on 25 Feb 2026:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| biodegrades | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| biodegraded | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| biodegraded | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| biodegrading | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic |
Relateds
Translations (8)
cy bioddiraddio (to decompose as a result of biological action) · it biodegradare (to decompose as a result of biological action) · ga bith-dhíghrádaigh (to decompose as a result of biological action) · vi tự hủy (to decompose as a result of biological action) · it biodegradarsi (to decompose as a result of biological action) · vi tự huỷ (to decompose as a result of biological action) · es biodegradar (to decompose as a result of biological action) · pl biodegradować się (to decompose as a result of biological action)