toxic
[tok-sik]
- of, pertaining to, affected with, or caused by a toxin or poison: a toxic condition.
- acting as or having the effect of a poison; poisonous: a toxic drug.
- causing unpleasant feelings; harmful or malicious: a toxic boyfriend; toxic criticism.
- pertaining to or noting debt that will probably not be repaid: toxic mortgages.
- pertaining to or noting a financial instrument or other asset that has no value or an unknown value because there is no market for it: toxic mortgage-backed securities.
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- a toxic chemical or other substance.
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Origin of toxic
1655–65; < Late Latin toxicus poisonous, adj. derivative of Latin toxicum poison < Greek toxikón (orig. short for toxikòn phármakon literally, bow poison, i.e., poison used on arrows), equivalent to tóx(on) bow + -ikon, neuter of -ikos -ic
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for toxic
Contemporary Examples
But it is not actually as toxic as it seems (although, admittedly, it does seem pretty toxic).
Infernal, it can cause fires and explosions; toxic, it can debilitate, poison, and kill.
These days they are occasional meteorological irruptions, white river mists, not dense and toxic industrial pea-soupers.
He feared the laser-etched markings intended to make them look authentic could be toxic to patients.
They are fair arguments, I guess, but not when you put it up against accusations of toxic drinking water causing weird cancers.
Historical Examples
In hollows, or places where the air is stagnant, it may still be toxic.
When the Sleepers WokeArthur Leo Zagat
The drug was a deadly one, he said, and the toxic dose was still to be determined.
Hilda WadeGrant Allen
Little is known of its toxic action, but a weak toxin has been got from cultures.
The FleaHarold Russell
In dog 28 the first dose of caffein 50 mg per kilo was toxic.
The Toxicity of CaffeinWilliam Salant
This drug is one-seventh as toxic as cocaine but is also weaker in action.
Surgery, with Special Reference to PodiatryMaximilian Stern
toxic
- of, relating to, or caused by a toxin or poison; poisonous
- harmful or deadly
- (of a financial asset) likely to cause significant loss to the holder
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Word Origin
C17: from medical Latin toxicus, from Latin toxicum poison, from Greek toxikon (pharmakon) (poison) used on arrows, from toxon arrow
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for toxic
adj.
1660s, from French toxique, from Late Latin toxicus "poisoned," from Latin toxicum "poison," from Greek toxikon (pharmakon) "(poison) for use on arrows," from toxikon, neuter of toxikos "pertaining to arrows or archery," and thus to a bow, from toxon "bow," probably from a Scythian word that also was borrowed into Latin as taxus "yew."
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
toxic
(tŏk′sĭk)- Of, relating to, or caused by a toxin or other poison.
- Capable of causing injury or death, especially by chemical means; poisonous.
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- A toxic chemical or other substance.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
toxic
[tŏk′sĭk]
- Relating to or caused by a toxin.
- Capable of causing injury or death, especially by chemical means; poisonous.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.