toxin

Definitions

tox (poison) + -in (substance marker, as in insulin, keratin) = a specific poisonous substance. Unlike the adjective toxic, a toxin is a concrete thing — and specifically one made by a living organism, which separates it from human-made poisons.

Why It Means This

The key is the -in ending: in chemistry and biology it marks a substance. So a toxin is not the quality of being poisonous (that's toxic) but the poison itself — and the word carries an extra restriction: it's biological in origin. Snake venom, botulinum toxin (Botox), and the chemicals bacteria release are all toxins; industrial poison usually isn't called a toxin.

Common Collocations

• 1.bacterial toxin细菌毒素
• 2.neutralize toxins中和毒素
• 3.release toxins释放毒素
• 4.remove toxins排出毒素
• 5.harmful toxins有害毒素
• 6.snake toxin蛇毒

Example Sentences

• 1.

  The bacteria release a toxin that attacks the nervous system.

• 2.

  The liver helps filter toxins out of the blood.

• 3.

  Doctors gave him an antidote to neutralize the snake toxin.

Easily Confused

toxin vs toxic — toxin is a noun (the poison itself: "a bacterial toxin"); toxic is an adjective (the quality: "toxic fumes"). You can't say "a toxic" or "this is very toxin." If you can put "a/the" in front and it's a substance → toxin; if it describes a noun → toxic.