TOXICANT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does toxicant mean? 

• TOXICANT (noun)
  The noun TOXICANT has 1 sense:

1. any substance that causes injury or illness or death of a living organism

  Familiarity information: TOXICANT used as a noun is very rare.

• TOXICANT (adjective)
  The adjective TOXICANT has 1 sense:

1. having the qualities or effects of a poison

  Familiarity information: TOXICANT used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TOXICANT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any substance that causes injury or illness or death of a living organism

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Synonyms:

poison; poisonous substance; toxicant

Hypernyms ("toxicant" is a kind of...):

substance (a particular kind or species of matter with uniform properties)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "toxicant"):

atropine (a poisonous crystalline alkaloid extracted from the nightshade family; used as an antispasmodic and to dilate the eye pupil; also administered in large amounts as an antidote for organophosphate nerve agents or organophosphate insecticides)

hyoscyamine (a poisonous crystalline alkaloid (isometric with atropine but more potent); used to treat excess motility of the gastrointestinal tract)

toxin (a poisonous substance produced during the metabolism and growth of certain microorganisms and some higher plant and animal species)

• TOXICANT (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Having the qualities or effects of a poison

Synonyms:

poisonous; toxicant

Similar:

toxic (of or relating to or caused by a toxin or poison)

 Context examples 

They were formerly used as toxicants and vesicants, but now function as antineoplastic agents.

(Nitrogen Mustard Compound, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

He said these molecular charges are armed by TOP2’s interaction with environmental toxicants, chemical metabolites, tobacco exposures, or DNA damage caused by ultraviolet light.

(DNA damage caused by cancer treatment reversed by ZATT protein, National Institutes of Health)

Among them are known or suspected toxicants, carcinogens and respiratory irritants, including nicotine, ammonia, formaldehyde, sulfur dioxide, acrolein, hydrogen cyanide, phenol, nitrogen oxide, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, N-Nitrosamines and radionuclides.

(Environmental tobacco smoke, NCI Thesaurus)