Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A very toxic white crystalline compound, C23H22O6, extracted from the roots of various plants, especially those of the genera Derris, Paraderris, and Lonchocarpus in the pea family, and used as an insecticide.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A chemical substance (C23H22O6) extracted from the root of the derris (Derris elliptica, Derris malaccensis, and other species), used in treatment of scabies and as an insecticide for external infestation by chiggers in human medicine, and in veterinary medicine for the treatment of infestations with fleas, ticks, and lice.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun an insecticide extracted from the roots of the plant derris; it is toxic to humans and other mammals

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a white crystalline insecticide that has low toxicity for mammals; is used in home gardens; extracted from the roots of derris and cube

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Japanese rōten, plant of the genus Derris from which rotenone was isolated + –one.]

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Examples

  • A toxin called rotenone would first exterminate non-native fish from the nine-mile creek section—an idea that rankles some local anglers—under a proposal by state and federal biologists.

    Flies, and Their Lawyers, Keep Rare Trout From Going Home Justin Scheck 2011

  • Thousands of gallons of fish poison, called rotenone, were dumped in the canal around 8 p.m.

    JSOnline.com 2009

  • Chief Petty Officer Robert Lanier of the U.S. Coast Guard said workers began dumping a fish toxin called rotenone into the canal about 8 p.m. and would continue the poisoning until some time Thursday morning.

    daytondailynews.com - News 2009

  • Chief Petty Officer Robert Lanier of the U.S. Coast Guard said workers began dumping a fish toxin called rotenone into the canal about 8 p.m. and would continue the poisoning until some time Thursday morning.

    daytondailynews.com - News 2009

  • Chief Petty Officer Robert Lanier of the U.S. Coast Guard said workers began dumping a fish toxin called rotenone into the canal about 8 p.m. and would continue the poisoning until some time Thursday morning.

    KSL / U.S. / National 2009

  • Thousands of gallons of fish poison, called rotenone, were dumped in the canal around 8 p.m.

    JSOnline.com 2009

  • The poison, called rotenone, isn't scheduled to be dumped into the canal until after dark.

    JSOnline.com 2009

  • Chief Petty Officer Robert Lanier of the U.S. Coast Guard said workers began dumping a fish toxin called rotenone into the canal about 8 p.m. and would continue the poisoning until some time Thursday morning.

    KETV.com - Local News 2009

  • The fish poison, called rotenone, will be dumped into the canal just above the barrier on Dec. 3.

    JSOnline.com 2009

  • Officials will spread a fish toxin called rotenone near Lockport, Ill., hoping to kill the carp.

    ABC News: ABCNews 2009

Comments

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  • "Does the electric field have weak spots where fish can pass? Does a winter-time influx of road salt in the water cause the charge to fluctuate? What about when the current must be turned off for maintenance of the bars or cables? Is the rotenone chemical fish killer administered when the current is off effective without fail?"

    "Fish Out of Water" by Ian Frazier, in the New Yorker, October 25, 2010, p 71

    October 28, 2010