toxin

noun tox·in \ ˈtäk-sən \

Definition of toxin

:a poisonous substance that is a specific product of the metabolic activities of a living organism and is usually very unstable, notably toxic when introduced into the tissues, and typically capable of inducing antibody formation

See toxin defined for English-language learners

See toxin defined for kids

Examples of toxin in a Sentence

the toxin in scorpion venom
read a pamphlet on the toxin responsible for botulism, a food poisoning that can cause paralysis and even death in some cases

Recent Examples of toxin from the Web

Injury and death rates can be high and toxins sometimes leak into the sea, the group says.

— r.t. watson, Bloomberg.com, "Brazil to Crack Down on Ships Sold Into `Toxic' Scrap Trade," 24 Aug. 2017
The story was similar across the river at L.A. State Historic Park, which had its reopening delayed for years due to toxins from another rail yard.

— zoie matthew, Los Angeles Magazine, "This Is Why The Revitalization of the LA River Is Taking So Long," 16 Aug. 2017
There are particulates, there are bacteria, there are bacterial toxins.

— lily carollo, The Cut, "The Loneliness of Having an Illness Science Doesn’t Understand," 10 Aug. 2017
A rating above 5 indicates a potentially harmful level, meaning such blooms could do damage by producing toxins or sucking enough oxygen from the water to cause fish kills.

— john flesher, The Seattle Times, "Scientists expect ‘significant’ algae bloom on Lake Erie," 13 July 2017
For instance, Weeping Figs remove toxins and increase oxygen levels, which is why they're practically made for your bedroom.

— lauren smith, House Beautiful, "The Best Plant for Every Room in Your Home," 11 July 2017
There are plans to monitor all 112 city parks in the future to make sure the soil stays toxin-free.

— michelle kaufman, miamiherald, "Douglas Park reopens after three-year closure due to toxic soil," 29 June 2017
A team of researchers has isolated lack of food as the primary factor — bigger than vessel traffic, bigger than toxins — limiting recovery of resident killer whales.

— lynda v. mapes, The Seattle Times, "UW professor’s study links food scarcity to orcas’ failed pregnancies," 28 June 2017
Vodka and gin have fewer toxins and impurities than dark ones like whiskey and rum, says Kovacs.

— elizabeth narins, Cosmopolitan, "18 Expert-Tested Ways to Prevent a Hangover," 28 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'toxin.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

toxins Are Often Found in Nature

Long before chemists started creating poisons from scratch, humans were employing natural toxins for killing weeds and insects. For centuries South American tribes have used the toxin curare, extracted from a native vine, to tip their arrows. The garden flower called wolfsbane or monkshood is the source of aconite, an extremely potent toxin. The common flower known as jimsonweed contains the deadly poison scopolamine. And the castor-oil plant yields the almost unbelievably poisonous toxin called ricin. Today we hear health advisers of all kinds talk about ridding the body of toxins; but they're usually pretty vague about which ones they mean, and most of these "toxins" wouldn't be called that by biologists.

Origin and Etymology of toxin

International Scientific Vocabulary

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1886

See Words from the same year

toxin Synonyms

Synonyms

bane, toxic, poison, venom

Related Words

cancer, contagion, disease, virus; fungicide, germicide, herbicide, insecticide, microbicide, pesticide, toxicant

Near Antonyms

antidote, antivenin, antivenom, mithridate; cure; cure-all, elixir, panacea

TOXIN Defined for English Language Learners

toxin

noun

Definition of toxin for English Language Learners

: a poisonous substance and especially one that is produced by a living thing

TOXIN Defined for Kids

toxin

noun tox·in \ ˈtäk-sən \

Definition of toxin for Students

:a poison produced by a living thing (as an animal or bacterium)

Medical Dictionary

toxin

noun tox·in \ ˈtäk-sən \

medical Definition of toxin

:a colloidal proteinaceous poisonous substance that is a specific product of the metabolic activities of a living organism and is usually very unstable, notably toxic when introduced into the tissues, and typically capable of inducing antibody formation