Past tense of biodegrade; broken down by living organisms like bacteria into natural substances.
From bio- (life) + degrade (to break down), combining 1960s biological terminology with Latin degradare. The prefix bio- became popular in scientific compounds during the mid-20th century environmental movement.
Biodegraded plastics were supposed to save the planet, but many 'biodegradable' products in landfills still don't actually break down because they need specific conditions—light, heat, and oxygen—that buried garbage doesn't have.
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