A chemical substance that kills or stops the growth of living organisms, particularly used against bacteria, fungi, and algae.
From bio- 'life' + -cide from Latin caedere 'to kill.' The term emerged in mid-20th century chemistry to describe a broader class of organism-killing compounds beyond just pesticides.
Biocides are everywhere in modern life—they're in your soap, your paint, your water treatment plants—basically any time humans want to tell microbes 'not here, not now.'
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