DEFOLIATION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does defoliation mean? 

• DEFOLIATION (noun)
  The noun DEFOLIATION has 2 senses:

1. the loss of foliage

2. causing the leaves of trees and other plants to fall off (as by the use of chemicals)

  Familiarity information: DEFOLIATION used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DEFOLIATION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The loss of foliage

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural processes

Hypernyms ("defoliation" is a kind of...):

biological process; organic process (a process occurring in living organisms)

Derivation:

defoliate (strip the leaves or branches from)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Causing the leaves of trees and other plants to fall off (as by the use of chemicals)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("defoliation" is a kind of...):

change of state (the act of changing something into something different in essential characteristics)

Derivation:

defoliate (strip the leaves or branches from)