toxin
noun
tox·in
| \ ˈtäk-sən
\
\
Definition of toxin
: a poisonous substance that is a specific product of the metabolic activities of a living organism and is usually very unstable, notably toxic when introduced into the tissues, and typically capable of inducing antibody formation
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Examples of toxin in a Sentence
the toxin in scorpion venom
read a pamphlet on the toxin responsible for botulism, a food poisoning that can cause paralysis and even death in some cases
Recent Examples on the Web
But routine corrosion control measures were skipped, causing lead and other toxins to leach into the supplies. — Griff Witte, Washington Post, "In Flint, suspicions of the water — and of Democratic candidates — run deep," 29 July 2019 Known for their deadly venom that is packed with toxins that cause drops in blood pressure, massive bleeding and ultimately shock, komodo dragons are carnivorous and have been known to devour all kinds of meat. — Fox News, "Graphic video shows komodo dragon swallowing monkey whole," 27 July 2019 And in mice, researchers including Skinner found that parents exposed to altered diets, low temperatures, or toxins had descendants with behavioral changes and weight gain. — Andrew Curry, Science | AAAS, "Parents’ emotional trauma may change their children’s biology. Studies in mice show how," 18 July 2019 Those fish -- caught in fresh and saltwater bodies across the state -- are analyzed in laboratories to determine how much of certain toxins a person might ingest by eating that fish. — Dennis Pillion | Dpillion@al.com, al.com, "What not to eat: Alabama’s 2019 fish consumption advisories," 17 July 2019 What the World Trade Center data couldn’t reveal was whether that event was unique, or if other disasters might similarly spread toxins in a way that could lead to long-term effects. — Christopher Flavelle, New York Times, "‘Toxic Stew’ Stirred Up by Disasters Poses Long-Term Danger, New Findings Show," 15 July 2019 Most Americans in need of treatment do so through an uncomfortable procedure known as hemodialysis, which typically requires patients to sit for hours at a clinic multiple times a week as a machine filters toxins from their blood. — Robert Gebelhoff, Twin Cities, "Robert Gebelhoff: The Trump administration is actually doing something great on health care," 14 July 2019 Similar toxins can be produced by other algal blooms. — Tom Metcalfe, NBC News, "What is red tide?," 13 July 2019 In the meantime, Hernandez, 53, has spent countless hours at a San Antonio dialysis center, where a machine filters waste, toxins and fluids from her blood three times a week. — Lauren Caruba, ExpressNews.com, "New hope for kidney disease patients in San Antonio," 13 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'toxin.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for toxin
toxin
noun
English Language Learners Definition of toxin
: a poisonous substance and especially one that is produced by a living thing
See the full definition for toxin in the English Language Learners Dictionary
toxin
noun
tox·in
| \ ˈtäk-sən
\
\
Kids Definition of toxin
: a poison produced by a living thing (as an animal or bacterium)
toxin
noun
tox·in
| \ ˈtäk-sən
\
\
Medical Definition of toxin
: a colloidal proteinaceous poisonous substance that is a specific product of the metabolic activities of a living organism and is usually very unstable, notably toxic when introduced into the tissues, and typically capable of inducing antibody formation
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