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DictionaryRoot: agere
Latin

agere

drive, set in motion; do

Forms

  • ag-
  • act- — Latin stem of the form meaning ‘done.’
  • -ig- — Used in some Latin compounds.

Origin

Reconstructed Proto-Indo-European *ag-, ‘drive; lead.’

Note

A root for driving things forward also came to describe performing an action.

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noun

fumigation

fyoo-mih-GAY-shun/ˌfjuːmɪˈɡeɪʃn/

Treatment using poisonous gas, vapor, or smoke to kill pests.

Fumigation fills the sealed chamber with smoke to kill beetles.

A sealed transparent pest-treatment chamber contains a small wooden crate surrounded by smoke, with several dead beetles lying legs-up beneath it.
Etymology
fumLatinsmoke
+igLatindrive, set in motion; do
+ationLatinan action, process, or result

The pieces describe the action of making smoke. The word developed a sense of exposing people or things to fumes, originally for treatment; the selected sense applies that exposure to killing pests.

In context

BigBoyTV12:29
they have that big fumigation tent they're open they're unfolding it in the front yard
George Lopez on Donald Trump - Dating, Lopez Show - Las Vegas - Latino Comedian - Interview BigBoyTV

More examples

  • The house needs fumigation to eliminate termites.
  • Workers seal the warehouse before fumigation begins.
  • Residents must stay elsewhere during fumigation.

Forms

fumigation · fumigations

fumigate verb — Treat with fumes to kill pests.

fumigant noun — A pest-killing chemical released as gas.

Similar words

extermination
Killing pests by any method, not necessarily with fumes.
pest control
Managing pests through prevention, removal, or killing by various methods.