toxicology

noun

tox·​i·​col·​o·​gy ˌtäk-si-ˈkä-lə-jē How to pronounce toxicology (audio)
: a science that deals with poisons and their effect and with the problems involved (such as clinical, industrial, or legal problems)
toxicologist noun

Did you know?

Even though most of us are aware of toxicology primarily from crime shows on TV, toxicologists actually do most of their work in other fields. Many are employed by drug companies, others by chemical companies. Many work for the government, making sure the public is being kept safe from environmental poisons in the water, soil, and air, as well as unhealthy substances in our food and drugs. These issues often have to do with quantity; questions about how much of some substance should be considered dangerous, whether in the air or in a soft drink, may be left to toxicologists. But occasionally a toxicology task may be more exciting: for instance, discovering that what looked like an ordinary heart attack was actually brought on by a hypodermic injection of a paralyzing muscle relaxant.

Examples of toxicology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Several weeks after his death, prosecutors identified alcohol, cocaine, and a prescribed antidepressant in his system at the time of his death, according to a toxicology report. Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 10 Dec. 2024 Authorities believe Singh may have died of natural causes, given his history of health issues, though his cause of death is pending a toxicology report, law enforcement sources told TMZ. Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 6 Dec. 2024 It’s not known whether the Weld County coroner has ruled on the cause and manner of the 16-year-old’s death or completed a toxicology report, which can take weeks or even months. Sam Tabachnik, The Denver Post, 5 Dec. 2024 The consulting firm produced a report about the product and tapped three university professors with expertise in pharmacology, toxicology and food science to weigh in. Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for toxicology 

Word History

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of toxicology was in 1799

Dictionary Entries Near toxicology

Cite this Entry

“Toxicology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toxicology. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

toxicology

noun
tox·​i·​col·​o·​gy -ˈkäl-ə-jē How to pronounce toxicology (audio)
plural toxicologies
: the scientific study of the adverse effects of chemical substances on the living organism

More from Merriam-Webster on toxicology

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