toxic

 
Pronunciation: /ˈtɒksɪk/

adjective

  • 1poisonous: the dumping of toxic waste alcohol is toxic to the ovaries
  • relating to or caused by poison: toxic hazards toxic liver injury
  • very bad, unpleasant, or harmful: a toxic relationship
  • 2 Finance denoting or relating to debt which has a high risk of default: toxic debts
  • denoting securities which are based on toxic debt and for which there is not a healthy or functioning market: the financial system has become clogged with toxic assets

noun

(toxics)
  • poisonous substances.

Derivatives

toxically

adverb

toxicity

Pronunciation: /-ˈsɪsɪti/
noun

Origin:

mid 17th century: from medieval Latin toxicus 'poisoned', from Latin toxicum 'poison', from Greek toxikon (pharmakon) '(poison for) arrows', from toxon 'bow'