dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene

/ˌdaɪˌklɔːroʊˌdaɪˌfɛnəlˌdaɪˌklɔːroʊˈɛθɪliːn/

noun

A long-lasting chemical that forms when the pesticide DDT breaks down. It doesn’t easily degrade, can build up in living organisms, and is known for disrupting hormones and persisting in the environment for a long time.

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Meanings

noundichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (uncountable, abbreviation DDE)

abbreviation DDE

  1. uncountablechemistryA long-lasting chemical that forms when the pesticide DDT breaks down. It doesn’t easily degrade, can build up in living organisms, and is known for disrupting hormones and persisting in the environment for a long time.

Origin

From dichloro + diphenyl + dichloro + ethylene

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene

MLA

“dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene.

Source: dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.