Meaning & use
-cide
A suffix meaning a killer of, or the act of killing, used to form words about causing death or destruction.
See it in a sentence
The label on the bottle read insecticide, a chemical designed to kill insects.
Words like homicide and pesticide both end in the suffix -cide, meaning killing.
A note on using this word
This suffix comes from Latin caedere, to kill, and attaches to a root naming the victim, as in genocide or herbicide.
Words with a similar meaning
This term is best learned through its definition and examples.
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
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