Active Ingredient

Pronunciation
/ak-tiv in-greh-di-ent/
Category
Pesticide Chemistry
Singular
Active Ingredient
Plural
Active Ingredients

Definition

The substance within a pesticide formulation that directly affects the target organism.

Etymology

From Latin 'activus' meaning 'active' and 'ingredient' meaning 'substance'.

Example

The active ingredient in many insecticides is pyrethrin.

Related Terms

Usage Notes

Active ingredients are often used in combination with other substances to enhance their effectiveness or safety.