cytotoxic

adjective

cy·​to·​tox·​ic ˌsī-tə-ˈtäk-sik How to pronounce cytotoxic (audio)
1
: of or relating to a cytotoxin
2
: toxic to cells
cytotoxic drugs

Examples of cytotoxic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The honeybee venom paper included some data with the cytotoxic drug paclitaxel. Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Aug. 2025 The therapy has anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive, and cytotoxic effects. Karen Pallarito, Health, 18 Dec. 2023 And those cytokines were accompanied by corresponding elevations in inflammatory cellular responses, particularly cytotoxic T cells. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 9 May 2023 Then Allison and his colleagues discovered that a molecule called cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) acts as a checkpoint, or built-in brake, on T cells. Quanta Magazine, 3 Feb. 2020 Interestingly, the complete soup also lacked cytotoxic activity. Ncbi Rofl, Discover Magazine, 7 Mar. 2012

Word History

First Known Use

1902, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of cytotoxic was in 1902

Cite this Entry

“Cytotoxic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cytotoxic. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Medical Definition

cytotoxic

adjective
cy·​to·​tox·​ic ˌsīt-ə-ˈtäk-sik How to pronounce cytotoxic (audio)
: toxic to cells
cytotoxic lymphocytes
cytotoxic drugs
cytotoxicity noun
plural cytotoxicities
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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