botulism

noun

bot·​u·​lism ˈbä-chə-ˌli-zəm 

: acute food poisoning that is caused by botulinum toxin produced in food by a bacterial clostridium (Clostridium botulinum) and is characterized by muscle weakness and paralysis, disturbances of vision, swallowing, and speech, and a high mortality rate

Examples of botulism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Other symptoms of botulism can include facial muscle weakness. —Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 20 June 2025

Botulinum toxin is a neurotoxin that causes botulism. —Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 5 June 2025

Vultures also have extremely strong stomach acid, don’t get food poisoning and are able to consume and neutralize anthrax, botulism and other bacteria and toxins in carcasses that would kill other animals, removing deadly threats from the environment. —Gerald Imray, Chicago Tribune, 12 Apr. 2025

Person to person transmission of botulism does not occur. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for botulism

• autism
• fascism
• racism
• sikhism
• statism
• sufism
• thomism
• tourism
• tropism
• abolitionism
• aldosteronism
• americanism

Kids Definition

botulism

noun

bot·​u·​lism ˈbäch-ə-ˌliz-əm 

: poisoning caused by eating food containing a toxin made by a spore-forming bacterium

Medical Definition

botulism

noun

bot·​u·​lism ˈbäch-ə-ˌliz-əm 

: acute food poisoning caused by botulinum toxin produced in food by a bacterium of the genus Clostridium (C. botulinum) and characterized by muscle weakness and paralysis, disturbances of vision, swallowing, and speech, and a high mortality rate see botulinum toxin, limberneck