phototoxic

adjective

pho·​to·​tox·​ic ˌfō-tō-ˈtäk-sik How to pronounce phototoxic (audio)
1
: rendering the skin susceptible to damage (such as sunburn or blisters) upon exposure to light and especially ultraviolet light
phototoxic antibiotics
2
: induced by a phototoxic substance
phototoxicity noun

Examples of phototoxic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Phytophotodermatitis from making sangria: a phototoxic reaction to lime and lemon juice. Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 27 Mar. 2017 And then there's the more common ruta graveolens, a phototoxic plant with sap that can make your hands blister in bright sunlight, and so on and so on. Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, 30 May 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'phototoxic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1931, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of phototoxic was in 1931

Dictionary Entries Near phototoxic

Cite this Entry

“Phototoxic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phototoxic. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

Medical Definition

phototoxic

adjective
pho·​to·​tox·​ic ˌfōt-ō-ˈtäk-sik How to pronounce phototoxic (audio)
1
: rendering the skin susceptible to damage (as sunburn or blisters) upon exposure to light and especially ultraviolet light
phototoxic antibiotics
a phototoxic topical agent
2
: induced by a phototoxic substance
a phototoxic response
phototoxicity noun
plural phototoxicities
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