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  3. /tox

tox

Greek

poison

Variants:toxtoxictoxico
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About This Root

From Greek toxikon (poison), originally short for toxikon pharmakon (poison for arrows), from toxon (bow). The irony is that a root meaning "bow" became the word for "poison" because arrows were the delivery method. Produces toxic, toxin, intoxicate (originally to poison, now to make drunk), and endotoxin (a poison from within bacteria).

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Associated Words · 5

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toxic

Poisonous or harmful; severely negative

toxin

A poisonous substance produced by living organisms

intoxicate

To make drunk with alcohol or drugs; to excite greatly

intoxication

The state of being drunk or drugged; extreme excitement

endotoxin

A toxin released from a microorganism only when it dies