1. Plural of endrin; a highly toxic synthetic pesticide belonging to the cyclodiene family, formerly used to control insects on crops but now banned or restricted in many countries due to environmental and health hazards.
Usage: technical; chemistry/agriculture; largely obsolete in modern use

Examples

• Endrins were widely applied to cotton fields in the mid-20th century before their dangers became apparent.
• The contamination of groundwater with endrins prompted stricter regulations on pesticide use.
• Researchers studied the long-term effects of endrins on wildlife populations.
• Many countries phased out endrins during the 1970s and 1980s.
• Residues of endrins can still be detected in some soil samples from agricultural areas.