Toxic
Toxic
Toxic (/ˈtɒksɪk/; from the Ancient Greek word τοξικός toxikos, "poisonous") is a term that describes substances that cause harm to organisms when they come into contact with or are ingested.
Etymology
The term "toxic" originates from the Ancient Greek word τοξικός (toxikos), which means "pertaining to arrows or archery". This is because the Ancient Greeks often used poison on their arrows during warfare. The word was later adopted into Latin as "toxicus", which eventually evolved into the English word "toxic".
Definition
In the context of biology and human health, a toxin is a substance that can cause harm to the body, often by interfering with cellular processes. The term "toxic" can also be used to describe environments or situations that are harmful or destructive.
Related Terms
- Toxicity: The degree to which a substance can damage an organism.
- Toxin: A toxic substance produced within living cells or organisms.
- Poison: A substance that is capable of causing the illness or death of a living organism when introduced or absorbed.
- Venom: A type of toxin that animals produce for the purpose of causing harm to others.
- Pollutant: A substance or condition that contaminates the environment and can cause harm to organisms.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Toxic
- Wikipedia's article - Toxic
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski