Toxic
Poisonous; capable of causing harm to living beings. It is also used figuratively to describe something harmful, destructive, or dangerous in a non-physical sense (for example, a toxic relationship).
adjectiveToxic
Poisonous; capable of causing harm to living beings. It is also used figuratively to describe something harmful, destructive, or dangerous in a non-physical sense (for example, a toxic relationship).
adjectiveImagine This
Imagine stepping into a lab where a bright neon-green gas escapes from a sealed vial. A bright yellow warning sign says Toxic, and you picture the air itself as dangerous; you quickly put on a mask to protect yourself.
Sounds Like
TOK-sik
Looks Like
Looks like the word 'toxin' and shares the root 'tox-' meaning poison.
Remember This
The root 'tox-' means poison. Toxic is related to toxin, toxinology, and toxicology; the term has both literal and figurative uses.
Other Forms
Connect With
poison, toxin, toxicology, hazardous, noxious
Note
Use 'toxic' for substances or environments that cause harm; use 'poisonous' for things that cause harm when touched or ingested. In figurative use, 'toxic' describes harmful people or atmospheres (e.g., a toxic relationship). The adverb form is 'toxically' and the noun forms include 'toxicity' and 'toxicant'.