toxicity

Variant of toxic

toxic definition

toxic (täk′sik)

adjective

  1. of, affected by, or caused by a toxin, or poison
  2. acting as a poison; poisonous

Etymology: ML toxicus < L toxicum, a poison < Gr toxicon, a poison, orig., poison in which arrows were dipped < toxicos, of or for a bow < toxon, a bow

noun

a toxic substance; also, something contaminated by a toxic substance: usually used in pl.

Related Forms:

  • toxicity tox·ic′·ity (-is′ə tē) noun

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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