toxic

1 of 3

adjective

tox·​ic ˈtäk-sik How to pronounce toxic (audio)
1
: containing or being poisonous material especially when capable of causing death or serious debilitation
toxic waste
a toxic radioactive gas
an insecticide highly toxic to birds
2
: exhibiting symptoms of infection or toxicosis
the patient became toxic two days later
3
: extremely harsh, malicious, or harmful
toxic sarcasm
4
: relating to or being an asset that has lost so much value that it cannot be sold on the market

toxic

2 of 3

noun

: a toxic substance
usually used in plural

toxic-

3 of 3

combining form

variants or toxico-
: poison
toxicology

Examples of toxic in a Sentence

Adjective The fumes from that chemical are highly toxic. Tests will be run to determine if the landfill is toxic. Noun tested for toxics in the water supply
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Secondhand marijuana smoke has many of the same carcinogens and toxic chemicals as secondhand tobacco smoke, along with THC, the active ingredient in cannabis. David Stempel, The Mercury News, 9 Nov. 2024 In Phoenix, the industry's early history was toxic, contributing to groundwater pollution that government agencies are still addressing. Austin Corona, The Arizona Republic, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
According to Apolo, theobromine, an alkaloid in the cacao beans used to make chocolate, makes chocolate toxic to canines. Kelli Bender, People.com, 29 Oct. 2024 Many are similar to existing antibiotics or toxic to humans. Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for toxic 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Late Latin toxicus, from Latin toxicum poison, from Greek toxikon arrow poison, from neuter of toxikos of a bow, from toxon bow, arrow

Combining form

New Latin, from Latin toxicum

First Known Use

Adjective

1664, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1687, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of toxic was in 1664

Dictionary Entries Near toxic

Cite this Entry

“Toxic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toxic. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

toxic

adjective
tox·​ic
ˈtäk-sik
1
: of, relating to, or caused by a poison or toxin
2
toxicity
täk-ˈsis-ət-ē
noun
Etymology

Adjective

from Latin toxicus "relating to or caused by a poison," from earlier toxicum "poison," from Greek toxikon "a poison put on the tips of arrows," from toxikos "of a bow and arrows," from toxon "bow, arrow" — related to intoxicate, toxin see Word History at intoxicate

Medical Definition

toxic

1 of 2 adjective
tox·​ic ˈtäk-sik How to pronounce toxic (audio)
1
: containing or being poisonous material especially when capable of causing serious injury or death
toxic drugs
toxic gas
2
: of, relating to, or caused by a poison or toxin
toxic liver damage
3
a
: affected by a poison or toxin
b
: affected with toxemia of pregnancy
toxic pregnant women

toxic

2 of 2 noun
: a toxic substance

Legal Definition

toxic

adjective
tox·​ic ˈtäk-sik How to pronounce toxic (audio)
1
: containing or being poisonous material especially when capable of causing death or serious debilitation
2
: having substantially lowered worth
specifically : relating to or being an asset that has lost so much value that it cannot be sold on the market
toxic assets
toxic subprime loans

More from Merriam-Webster on toxic

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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