TOXIN
Dictionary entry overview: What does toxin mean?
• TOXIN (noun)
The noun TOXIN has 1 sense:
1. a poisonous substance produced during the metabolism and growth of certain microorganisms and some higher plant and animal species
Familiarity information: TOXIN used as a noun is very rare.
Dictionary entry details
• TOXIN (noun)
Meaning:
A poisonous substance produced during the metabolism and growth of certain microorganisms and some higher plant and animal species
Classified under:
Nouns denoting substances
Hypernyms ("toxin" is a kind of...):
poison; poisonous substance; toxicant (any substance that causes injury or illness or death of a living organism)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "toxin"):
ricin; ricin toxin (a toxic protein extracted from castor beans; used as a chemical reagent; can be used as a bioweapon)
neurolysin; neurotoxin (any toxin that affects neural tissues)
nephrotoxin (any toxin that affects the kidneys)
hepatotoxin (any toxin that affects the liver)
exotoxin (a toxin that is secreted by microorganisms into the surrounding medium)
endotoxin (a toxin that is confined inside the microorganisms and is released only when the microorganisms are broken down or die)
cytotoxin (any substance that has a toxic effect on cells)
bacterial toxin (any endotoxin or exotoxin formed in or elaborated by bacterial cells)
animal toxin; zootoxin (a toxin resembling bacterial toxins in its antigenic properties that is found in the fluids of certain animals)
phytotoxin; plant toxin (any substance produced by plants that is similar in its properties to extracellular bacterial toxin)
