food poisoning

noun

: an acute gastrointestinal disorder caused by bacteria or their toxic products or by chemical residues in food

Examples of food poisoning in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Safety Kamari Ramsey spoke with reporters for the first time since sitting out of the Week 5 road loss against Illinois due to food poisoning. —Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 16 Oct. 2025

With the exception of this bout of food poisoning, Skarsgård and Lighton have had a blast taking this movie to international film festivals. —Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Oct. 2025

Symptoms to Look Out For Symptoms of food poisoning can range from mild to severe. —Brian Mastroianni, Health, 2 Oct. 2025

The two of them caught food poisoning and had to hang back at the hotel, arriving on the Bravado only two hours before the first guests. —Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

food poisoning

noun

: a digestive sickness caused by bacteria or by chemicals in food

Medical Definition

food poisoning

noun

1

: either of two acute gastrointestinal disorders caused by bacteria or their toxic products:

a

: a rapidly developing intoxication marked by nausea, vomiting, prostration, and often severe diarrhea and caused by the presence in food of toxic products produced by bacteria (as some staphylococci)

b

: a less rapidly developing infection especially with salmonellae that has generally similar symptoms and that results from multiplication of bacteria ingested with contaminated food

2

: a gastrointestinal disturbance occurring after consumption of food that is contaminated with chemical residues (as from sprays) or food (as some fungi) that is inherently unsuitable for human consumption