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Synonyms

botulism

American  
[boch-uh-liz-uhm] / ˈbɒtʃ əˌlɪz əm /

noun

Pathology.

  1. a sometimes fatal disease of the nervous system acquired from spoiled foods in which botulin is present, especially improperly canned or marinated foods.

botulism British  
/ ˈbɒtjʊˌlɪzəm /

noun

  1. severe poisoning from ingestion of botulin, which affects the central nervous system producing difficulty in swallowing, visual disturbances, and respiratory paralysis: often fatal

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
botulism Scientific  
/ bŏch′ə-lĭz′əm /

  1. A severe, sometimes fatal food poisoning caused by eating food infected with the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which produces botulinum toxin. The bacterium grows in food that has been improperly preserved.

botulism Cultural  

  1. A severe form of food poisoning, often fatal if not treated quickly. Botulism is caused by a kind of bacterium that produces a toxin, and it is sometimes present in improperly canned or preserved foods.

Etymology

Origin of botulism

1875–80; < German Botulismus, equivalent to Latin botul(us ) sausage (a source of botulin toxin) + -ismus -ism

Vocabulary lists containing botulism

Excerpt from "If You Are What You Eat, Then What Am I?"

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In February, the CDC confirmed 28 infant botulism and 20 cases of probable infant botulism linked to the formula.

From Salon • Mar. 20, 2026

In November 2025, all ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula products were recalled for possible contamination with Clostridium botulinum, a bacteria that causes botulism, an extremely deadly illness.

From Salon • Mar. 20, 2026

Those incidents came after formula maker ByHeart recalled all of its products in the U.S. last fall after they were linked to a multistate botulism outbreak.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 17, 2026

Infant formula that could have been tainted with botulism remained on Target shelves after a recall, according to federal officials.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 18, 2025

Even botulism, the deadliest toxin ever known, needed at least 1 nanogram per kilogram to kill a human.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.