toxic

¹tox·ic

adj \ˈtäk-sik\

Definition of TOXIC

1

: containing or being poisonous material especially when capable of causing death or serious debilitation <toxic waste> <a toxic radioactive gas> <an insecticide highly toxic to birds>

2

: exhibiting symptoms of infection or toxicosis <the patient became toxic two days later>

3

: extremely harsh, malicious, or harmful <toxic sarcasm>

— tox·ic·i·ty \täk-ˈsi-sə-tē\ noun

Examples of TOXIC

1. The fumes from that chemical are highly toxic.
2. Tests will be run to determine if the landfill is toxic.

Origin of TOXIC

Late Latin toxicus, from Latin toxicum poison, from Greek toxikon arrow poison, from neuter of toxikos of a bow, from toxon bow, arrow

First Known Use: 1664

Related to TOXIC

Synonyms: envenomed, poison, poisoned, poisonous, venomous

Antonyms: nonpoisonous, nontoxic, nonvenomous

Related Words: contagious, infectious, infective, pathogenic, pestilent, pestilential; baneful, deleterious, harmful, hurtful, injurious, malignant, nocuous, noxious, virulent; unhealthful, unhealthy, unwholesome; calamitous, deadly, fatal, fell, lethal, murderous

Near Antonyms: beneficial, curative, healthful, healthy, helpful, palliative, remedial, salubrious, salutary, wholesome; benign, harmless, innocuous, inoffensive; nonfatal, nonlethal

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Other Biology Terms

autochthonous, fecund, homunculus, phylogeny, substrate