Meaning & use
toxin
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Meanings
nouncountabletechnicalbiology
a poisonous substance produced by a living organism, such as a bacterium, plant, or animal
Grammar: Countable: you can say a toxin or toxins. It is usually used in scientific or medical contexts.
Patterns
- produce a toxin
- a toxin from bacteria
- exposure to a toxin
The bacteria release a toxin that damages the intestines.
Some snakes inject a toxin that paralyzes their prey.
Scientists are studying how the plant's toxin affects the nervous system.
nouncountablefigurative
any harmful chemical substance, especially one that enters the body and causes illness
Grammar: Often used loosely in everyday speech for man-made poisons too, though scientists prefer poison or toxic chemical for these.
Patterns
- remove toxins from something
- environmental toxins
- a build-up of toxins
The liver helps remove toxins from the blood.
Some cleaning products contain toxins that can irritate the skin.
The article warned about toxins in the food supply.
Word forms
| plural | toxins |
|---|
Common combinations
- produce a toxin
- Certain molds produce a toxin that can harm the liver.
- exposure to a toxin
- Long-term exposure to a toxin may cause serious health problems.
- remove toxins
- The kidneys help remove toxins from the body.
- environmental toxins
- Environmental toxins can affect wildlife in the area.
- a bacterial toxin
- A bacterial toxin was found in the contaminated food.
Synonyms and how they differ
- poison
- This is the general everyday word for any harmful substance; toxin is more specific and usually refers to poisons made by living things.
- venom
- Venom is a toxin injected by an animal through a bite or sting, while toxin can also be swallowed or absorbed.
- poisonous substance
- A broader phrase that includes man-made chemicals; toxin often implies a biological origin.
Word family
- toxic adjective
- Poisonous or harmful.
- toxicity noun
- The quality or degree of being poisonous.
- toxicology noun
- The scientific study of poisons.
- toxicologist noun
- A scientist who studies poisons.
Commonly confused: toxin or poison? toxin or venom?
toxin vs poison
Poison is the everyday word and covers any harmful substance, including man-made ones; toxin is more technical and usually means a poison produced by a living organism.
toxin vs venom
Venom is a toxin delivered by a bite or sting, whereas toxin is a broader term for any biological poison.
Practice
The illness was caused by a ______ produced by bacteria in the water.
Choose one answer.
Toxin is the noun for the poisonous substance itself. Toxic is an adjective, toxicity is the quality of being poisonous, and toxicology is the study of poisons.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “toxin”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.