toxicology
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of toxicology
Explanation
Toxicology is the field that studies poisons, especially how poisons work and how to treat them. If you’re writing a true crime story, you should study toxicology to know what happens when the villain poisons the victim’s tea. Mwah ha ha. Have you ever seen a label that said "toxic"? That means that substance will harm you. Toxicology — which is a branch of pharmacology — has to do with toxic substances (poisons). It comes from the Greek word for “arrow poison.” Not all poisons come at the end of an arrow, though. If a toxicology report is done on a dead person, it will reveal if they had any dangerous substances in them, such as illegal drugs or drain cleaner.
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.
While Calocane was in custody following the attacks, the inquiry heard he did not consent to toxicology samples being taken.
From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026
Autopsies were performed Thursday and toxicology results are expected in a few weeks, said Tony Cipolla, public information officer for the Sheriff’s Department.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 13, 2026
Heard says interest in using fomepizole for acetaminophen overdose dates back to the 1990s, when he was training in medical toxicology.
From Science Daily • Jan. 18, 2026
A toxicology review by a pharmacist found that gabapentin played a central role.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 25, 2025
Once again, no thorough toxicology exam was performed.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
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.
