# toxic
## English
### Etymology

Borrowed from French toxique, from Late Latin toxicus (“poisoned”), from Latin toxicum (“poison”), from Ancient Greek τοξικόν (toxikón) [φάρμακον (phármakon)] ("poison for use on arrows"), from τοξικός (toxikós, “pertaining to arrows or archery”), from τόξον (tóxon, “bow”).

### Pronunciation

* (UK) IPA: /ˈtɒk.sɪk/
** Audio (Southern England):(file)
* (cot–caught merger) IPA: /ˈtɑk.sɪk/
* Rhymes: -ɒksɪk

### Adjective

toxic (comparative more toxic, superlative most toxic)
* (toxicology, pharmacology) Having a chemical nature that is harmful to health or lethal if consumed or otherwise entering into the body in sufficient quantities.
    Synonyms: poisonous, venomous
    Tobacco smoke contains many toxic substances.
** 2019 December 8, Hannah Beech, Ryn Jirenuwat, “The Price of Recycling Old Laptops: Toxic Fumes in Thailand’s Lungs”, in New York Times‎:If some types of electronic waste aren’t incinerated at a high enough temperature, dioxins, which can cause cancer and developmental problems, infiltrate the food supply. Without proper safeguarding, toxic heavy metals seep into the soil and groundwater.
* (medicine) Appearing grossly unwell; characterised by serious, potentially life-threatening compromise in the respiratory, circulatory or other body systems.
    The child appeared toxic on arrival at the hospital.
* (figurative) Severely negative or harmful.
    a toxic environment that promoted bullying
* (figurative, of a person) Hateful or strongly antipathetic.
    It is not good to be around toxic people.
** 2020 April 23, Cal Newport, “'Expert Twitter' Only Goes So Far. Bring Back Blogs”, in Wired‎:Though Twitter is still overrun with toxic anger and fear-based nonsense (now more than ever), it is also, in one crucial way, beginning to play an important role in our response to the pandemic.
** 2024 April 29, Jon Henley, “Surreal claims, lawfare and abuse: toxic politics in Spain reflect the new Europe”, in The Guardian‎, →ISSN:A veteran UN diplomat, Kaag, 62, said the environment for politicians in the Netherlands had become “toxic” as she and colleagues faced a continual barrage of “hate, intimidation and threats” and often needed tight police security.

#### Derived terms

* adrenotoxic
* aerotoxic
* agrotoxic
* angiotoxic
* antitoxic
* atoxic
* autotoxic
* bacteriotoxic
* biotoxic
* cancerotoxic
* cardiotoxic
* chemotoxic
* chondrotoxic
* chronotoxic
* ciliotoxic
* coagulotoxic
* cryotoxic
* cytotoxic
* dermatotoxic
* dermatoxic
* ecotoxic
* embryotoxic
* endotoxic
* entomotoxic
* equitoxic
* excitotoxic
* exotoxic
* fertotoxic
* fetotoxic
* foetotoxic
* fungitoxic
* gametotoxic
* gastrotoxic
* genotoxic
* glucolipotoxic
* glucotoxic
* glycotoxic
* gonadotoxic
* hematotoxic
* hemotoxic
* hepatotoxic
* histotoxic
* hypertoxic
* hypotoxic
* ichthyosarcotoxic
* ichthyotoxic
* immunotoxic
* leucotoxic
* leukotoxic
* lipotoxic
* lymphotoxic
* maternotoxic
* mechanotoxic
* mycotoxic
* myelotoxic
* myotoxic
* mytilotoxine
* nanotoxic
* necrotoxic
* nematotoxic
* nephrotoxic
* neurotoxic
* nontoxic
* oculotoxic
* olfactotoxic
* organic dust toxic syndrome
* organotoxic
* osmotoxic
* osteotoxic
* ototoxic
* ovotoxic
* phlebotoxic
* photodermatotoxicity
* phototoxic
* phytotoxic
* pneumotoxic
* polytoxic
* proteotoxic
* psychotoxic
* radiotoxic
* reprotoxic
* retinotoxic
* rhizotoxic
* ribotoxic
* semitoxic
* spermatotoxic
* splenotoxic
* subtoxic
* supertoxic
* thymotoxic
* thyrotoxic
* toxically
* toxic asset
* toxicate
* toxication
* toxic debt
* toxicemia
* toxic femininity
* toxic hellstew
* toxicity
* toxic masculinity
* toxic megacolon
* toxicness
* toxicoid
* toxic oil syndrome
* toxicosis
* toxic positivity
* toxics
* toxic shock syndrome
* toxic syndrome
* toxic waste
* toxidrome
* toxify
* tubulotoxic
* urotoxic
* vasculotoxic
* vestibulotoxic
* xenotoxic
* zootoxic

#### Related terms

* toxin (noun)
* intoxicate
* toxicant

#### Translations
### Further reading

* “toxic”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
* Douglas Harper (2001–2025) “toxic”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

## Interlingua
### Adjective

toxic (comparative plus toxic, superlative le plus toxic)
* toxic (chemically noxious to health)

#### Related terms

* toxicitate

## Romanian
### Etymology

Borrowed from French toxique, Latin toxicus, from Ancient Greek τοξικόν (toxikón). See also toapsec.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈtok.sik/, /tokˈsik/

### Adjective

toxic m or n (feminine singular toxică, masculine plural toxici, feminine and neuter plural toxice)
* toxic
    Synonyms: otrăvicios, otrăvitor

#### Related terms

* intoxica
* toapsec