Toxin Meaning
/ˈtɒksɪn/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA toxic substance, specifically a poison produced by the biological processes of organisms.
nounSynonym of toxicant: a toxic substance in a body requiring removal.
Sentence Examples
Fructose is a toxin.
The neurological system is compromised by this toxin.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The venom of a cobra contains a deadly ____ that attacks the nervous system.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The snake's ____ is very powerful and can cause serious harm if a person is bitten while walking in the wild today.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Ancient Greek τόξον (tóxon) Proto-Indo-European *-kos Ancient Greek -κός (-kós) Ancient Greek -ῐκός (-ĭkós) Ancient Greek τοξῐκός (toxĭkós) Ancient Greek τοξικόν (toxikón)der. Latin toxicum Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Indo-European *-iHnos Proto-Italic *-īnos Latin -īnusder. Old French -inbor. Middle English -in English -ineclip. English -in English toxin From Latin toxicum, equivalent to toxi- + -in.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The blue-ringed octopus Hapalochlaena lunulata has tetrodotoxin, the deadly toxin it also releases in a bite, in their ink but the concentrations and effect in inking are not known."
— 2017 August 9, Mark Carnall, “Why do cephalopods produce ink? And what's ink made of, anyway?”, in The Guardian:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The venom of a cobra contains a deadly ____ that attacks the nervous system.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The snake's ____ is very powerful and can cause serious harm if a person is bitten while walking in the wild today.