food poisoning

noun

: an acute gastrointestinal disorder caused by bacteria or their toxic products or by chemical residues in food

Examples of food poisoning in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Samples from 13 cases have tested negative for Ebola and Marburg, but the WHO said health teams were locally investigating other potential causes, including malaria, food poisoning, typhoid, meningitis or other viral hemorrhagic fever. —Reuters, NBC News, 26 Feb. 2025

Samples from 13 cases have tested negative for Ebola and Marburg, but WHO said health teams were locally investigating other possible causes, including malaria, food poisoning, typhoid, meningitis or other viral hemorrhagic fever. —Reuters, USA TODAY, 26 Feb. 2025

Serious Illness The harmful bacteria in raw milk can cause foodborne illness, including the gastrointestinal disorder commonly known as food poisoning. —Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 24 Feb. 2025

The pathogen is a common cause of food poisoning, which causes symptoms like nausea, vomiting and diarrhea that typically last for about 24 hours, per the National Library of Medicine. —Toria Sheffield, People.com, 16 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

food poisoning

noun

: a digestive sickness caused by bacteria or by chemicals in food

Medical Definition

food poisoning

noun

1

: either of two acute gastrointestinal disorders caused by bacteria or their toxic products:

a

: a rapidly developing intoxication marked by nausea, vomiting, prostration, and often severe diarrhea and caused by the presence in food of toxic products produced by bacteria (as some staphylococci)

b

: a less rapidly developing infection especially with salmonellae that has generally similar symptoms and that results from multiplication of bacteria ingested with contaminated food

2

: a gastrointestinal disturbance occurring after consumption of food that is contaminated with chemical residues (as from sprays) or food (as some fungi) that is inherently unsuitable for human consumption