toxic, a. [L. toxicum poison, originally, a poison in which arrows were dipped, Gr. toxiko`n (sc. ) poison for smearing arrows with, fr. toxiko`s of or for the bow, from to`xon bow, arrow. Cf. Intoxicate.].

Of or pertaining to poison; poisonous; as, toxic medicines. [1913 Webster]

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

toxic, adj.
1 of or relating to poison (toxic symptoms).
2 poisonous (toxic gas).
3 caused by poison (toxic anaemia).

Derivative

toxically adv. toxicity n.

Etymology

med.L toxicus poisoned f. L toxicum f. Gk toxikon (pharmakon) (poison for) arrows f. toxon bow, toxa arrows

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THESAURUS

toxic

baleful, baneful, catching, communicable, contagious, corroding, corrosive, corrupting, corruptive, counterproductive, damaging, deadly, deleterious, destructive, detrimental, disadvantageous, disserviceable, distressing, envenomed, harmful, hurtful, infectious, infective, injurious, lethal, malefic, malevolent, malign, malignant, mephitic, miasmal, miasmatic, miasmic, mischievous, noisome, noxious, ominous, pernicious, pestiferous, pestilential, poison, poisonous, prejudicial, scatheful, toxicant, toxiferous, venenate, veneniferous, venenous, venomous, vicious, virulent

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ROGET THESAURUS

toxic

Insalubrity

N insalubrity, unhealthiness, nonnaturals, plague spot, malaria, death in the pot, contagion, toxicity, insalubrious, unhealthy, unwholesome, noxious, noisome, morbific, morbiferous, mephitic, septic, azotic, deleterious, pestilent, pestiferous, pestilential, virulent, venomous, envenomed, poisonous, toxic, toxiferous, teratogenic, narcotic, contagious, infectious, catching, taking, epidemic, zymotic, epizootic, innutritious, indigestible, ungenial, uncongenial, deadly.

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