food poisoning

American  

noun

1. an acute gastrointestinal condition characterized by such symptoms as headache, fever, chills, abdominal and muscular pain, nausea, diarrhea, and prostration, caused by foods that are naturally toxic, as poisonous mushrooms, by vegetable foods that are chemically contaminated, as by insecticides, or by bacteria or their toxins, especially of the genus Salmonella.

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food poisoning British  

noun

1. an acute illness typically characterized by gastrointestinal inflammation, vomiting, and diarrhoea, caused by food that is either naturally poisonous or contaminated by pathogenic bacteria (esp Salmonella )

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food poisoning Scientific  

1. An acute gastrointestinal disorder characterized by vomiting and diarrhea, caused by eating food contaminated with bacteria, usually of the genus Salmonella or the genus Staphylococcus, which produces a toxin.

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food poisoning Cultural  

1. Illnesses that arise from eating food contaminated with pathogenic or toxic (see toxins) substances. Characterized by vomiting and diarrhea, food poisoning is often caused by bacteria, such as salmonella or staphylococci. (See botulism.)

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Etymology

Origin of food poisoning

First recorded in 1885–90

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

food poisoning

Salmonella, a bacterial pathogen, is one of the most common causes of food poisoning.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026

Felix Salmon, Elizabeth Spiers, and Emily Peck discuss the much-talked about food poisoning story and the PR flubs of Trump-aligned Taylor Farms.

From Slate ● Jul. 25, 2026

Germs that cause food poisoning can grow quickly in lukewarm food.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026

Kaweenuntawong said not a single case of food poisoning has ever been linked to the restaurant.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

Still—though it would be insane, I knew, to mention it at that moment—it was possible that he had food poisoning or appendicitis or something.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

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Related Words

• botulism
• salmonella

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