toxicology

noun

tox·​i·​col·​o·​gy ˌtäk-si-ˈkä-lə-jē How to pronounce toxicology (audio)
: a science that deals with poisons and their effect and with the problems involved (such as clinical, industrial, or legal problems)
toxicologist noun

Did you know?

Even though most of us are aware of toxicology primarily from crime shows on TV, toxicologists actually do most of their work in other fields. Many are employed by drug companies, others by chemical companies. Many work for the government, making sure the public is being kept safe from environmental poisons in the water, soil, and air, as well as unhealthy substances in our food and drugs. These issues often have to do with quantity; questions about how much of some substance should be considered dangerous, whether in the air or in a soft drink, may be left to toxicologists. But occasionally a toxicology task may be more exciting: for instance, discovering that what looked like an ordinary heart attack was actually brought on by a hypodermic injection of a paralyzing muscle relaxant.

Examples of toxicology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web After a toxicology report listed fentanyl toxicity as the cause of death for both, the medical examiner’s office emailed the autopsy reports to the respective families in July 2022. Isabel Rosales, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024 An autopsy was done, but the man’s official cause of death is pending a toxicology test, CBS News reported. Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 20 Feb. 2024 The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office confirmed the death, saying an autopsy was performed on the bite victim but the precise cause of death won’t be known until additional toxicology testing is completed. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 20 Feb. 2024 The toxicology analysis found no sign of alcohol or drugs. Mike Baker, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2024 Allies of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny, who authorities say died in a remote prison colony on Friday, repeatedly warned officials that his health was deteriorating and had demanded toxicology and other tests for severe pain and multiple seizures. Adam Taylor, Washington Post, 16 Feb. 2024 However, the autopsy and official toxicology reports have not been made public. Brian Brant, Peoplemag, 9 Feb. 2024 Perry’s death in October raised alarms when the initial toxicology screening attributed his death to the acute effects of ketamine. Dawn Megli, Fortune Well, 31 Jan. 2024 Bowers’ toxicology report led authorities to charge Kirby with homicide. Andrea Vacchiano, Fox News, 18 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'toxicology.' 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

circa 1799, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of toxicology was circa 1799

Dictionary Entries Near toxicology

Cite this Entry

“Toxicology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toxicology. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

toxicology

noun
tox·​i·​col·​o·​gy -ˈkäl-ə-jē How to pronounce toxicology (audio)
plural toxicologies
: the scientific study of the adverse effects of chemical substances on the living organism

More from Merriam-Webster on toxicology

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!