toxic
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈtɒk.sɪk/
ipa: /ˈtɑk.sɪk/
rhymes: -ɒksɪk
Forms: form: more toxic
form: most toxic
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”).
Senses: examples: text: Tobacco smoke contains many toxic substances.
text: 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.
ref: 2019 December 8, Hannah Beech, Ryn Jirenuwat, “The Price of Recycling Old Laptops: Toxic Fumes in Thailand’s Lungs”, in New York Times:
topics: medicine
pharmacology
sciences
toxicology
synonyms: poisonous
venomous
glosses: Having a chemical nature that is harmful to health or lethal if consumed or otherwise entering into the body in sufficient quantities.
examples: text: The child appeared toxic on arrival at the hospital.
topics: medicine
sciences
glosses: Appearing grossly unwell; characterised by serious, potentially life-threatening compromise in the respiratory, circulatory or other body systems.
examples: text: a toxic environment that promoted bullying
glosses: Severely negative or harmful.
examples: text: It is not good to be around toxic people.
text: 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.
ref: 2020 April 23, Cal Newport, “'Expert Twitter' Only Goes So Far. Bring Back Blogs”, in Wired:
text: 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.
ref: 2024 April 29, Jon Henley, “Surreal claims, lawfare and abuse: toxic politics in Spain reflect the new Europe”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
glosses: Hateful or strongly antipathetic.
raw_tags: of a person
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 anterior segment syndrome
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: word: toxin
word: intoxicate
word: toxicant