Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Of, relating to, or caused by a toxin or other poison.
  • adjective Capable of causing injury or death, especially by chemical means; poisonous.
  • adjective Extremely risky or harmful, as a debt for which the borrower is in default and the collateral has lost so much value that its sale cannot cover the amount of the loan.
  • adjective Causing social tension or unpleasantness.
  • noun A toxic chemical or other substance.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Of or pertaining to toxicants; poisonous.
  • Toxicological: as, toxic symptoms.
  • Of or relating to a toxin.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Of or pertaining to poison; poisonous.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective toxicology Having a chemical nature that is harmful to health or lethal if consumed or otherwise entering into the body in sufficient quantities.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective of or relating to or caused by a toxin or poison

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Late Latin toxicus, from Latin toxicum, poison, from Greek toxikon, poison for arrows, poison, from neuter of toxikos, of a bow, from toxon, bow, from Old Persian *taxša-, an arrow.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

French toxique, from Late Latin toxicus ("poisoned"), from Latin toxicum ("poison"), from Ancient Greek τοξικόν (toxikon), φάρμακον (pharmakon, "poison for use on arrows"), from τοξικός (toxikos, "pertaining to arrows or archery"), from τόξον (toxon, "bow").

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Examples

  • Although we can certainly have toxic relatives, toxic thoughts, or toxic relationships, I generally use the term toxic in discussing two broad classes of toxins: environmental and internal.

    The Fiber35 Diet Brenda Watson with Leonard Smith 2007

  • Although we can certainly have toxic relatives, toxic thoughts, or toxic relationships, I generally use the term toxic in discussing two broad classes of toxins: environmental and internal.

    The Fiber35 Diet Brenda Watson with Leonard Smith 2007

  • TOM COMERFORD, TOUR GUIDE: Have you ever heard of the term toxic assets?

    CNN Transcript Sep 15, 2009 2009

  • TOM COMERFORD, TOUR GUIDE: Have you ever heard of the term toxic assets?

    CNN Transcript Sep 15, 2009 2009

  • Lord Patten, the BBC Trust chairman, has signalled that the corporation would address what he called a "toxic" public relations problem by cutting the pay of some of its most senior executives.

    Lord Patten targets 'toxic' executive pay to restore public sympathy for BBC 2011

  • It's going to subsidize private investors, who hopefully -- they were hoping will come in and buy some of this what they call toxic waste.

    Scrambled AIG 2009

  • Congressman Lewis said he was warning about the dangers of what he calls toxic language.

    CNN Transcript Oct 13, 2008 2008

  • AMANPOUR: And fighting back against what they call a toxic, secular society.

    CNN Transcript Aug 9, 2008 2008

  • AMBASSADOR ANDREW YOUNG: No, John was concerned about what he calls toxic speech.

    CNN Transcript Oct 18, 2008 2008

  • Just because a planet has what you call a toxic atmosphere of carbon dioxide and a surface temperature of 1,700 doesn\'t mean it doesn\'t have some kind of life thriving there.

    Astronomers, Start Thinking Outside Your Own Toxic Brain Atmospheres 2008

Comments

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  • "With a taste of your lips

    I’m on a ride

    You're toxic I'm slipping under

    With a taste of a poison paradise

    I’m addicted to you

    Don’t you know that you’re toxic

    And I love what you do

    Don’t you know that you’re toxic"

    November 12, 2007