Subscriber login


Forgot your password?

Library card login

Other

botulism

Syllabification: (bot·u·lism)
Pronunciation: /ˈbäCHəˌlizəm/
Translate botulism | into German | into Italian
Definition of botulism

noun

  • food poisoning caused by a bacterium (botulinum) growing on improperly sterilized canned meats and other preserved foods.

Origin:

late 19th century: from German Botulismus, originally 'sausage poisoning', from Latin botulus 'sausage'

botulism in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of botulism in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

  |  Cite

More words in this category

Oxford Dictionaries Pro

For Oxford's best resources for writers, plus thesaurus, audio, and 1.9m examples.

GET PRO ►

Shop for an Oxford dictionary
Find the perfect Oxford dictionary for you in our online shop.
SHOP NOW ►

Word of the day

monocular

/ məˈnäkyələr /
adjective , noun
with, for, or in one eye …