toxicology

noun

tox·​i·​col·​o·​gy ˌtäk-si-ˈkä-lə-jē 

: a science that deals with poisons and their effect and with the problems involved (such as clinical, industrial, or legal problems)

toxicologist

ˌtäk-si-ˈkä-lə-jist 

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

Johnson told the outlet that toxicology test results are pending but noted his death was ruled an accident. —Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 14 Aug. 2024

His manner of death was deemed accidental and Johnson said toxicology test results are pending in the case. —Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 12 Aug. 2024

Having completed the autopsy, investigators are still waiting on the complete toxicology results. —Jenzia Burgos, StyleCaster, 25 July 2024

However, the department won't know until the toxicology report comes back in three to six months. —Kendra Stanton Lee, Newsweek, 8 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1799, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

toxicology

noun

tox·​i·​col·​o·​gy -ˈkäl-ə-jē 

plural toxicologies

: the scientific study of the adverse effects of chemical substances on the living organism