toxicity

[ tok-sis-i-tee ]

noun

, plural tox·ic·i·ties.

1. the quality, relative degree, or specific degree of being toxic or poisonous:

   to determine the toxicity of arsenic.

toxicity

/ tɒkˈsɪsɪtɪ /

noun

1. the degree of strength of a poison
2. the state or quality of being poisonous

Other Words From

• hyper·tox·ici·ty noun
• nontox·ici·ty noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of toxicity¹

First recorded in 1880–85; toxic + -ity

Example Sentences

“We cannot allow the toxicity of our society to influence our better judgment,” Johnson said.

From Washington Post

The latest paper demonstrates an even deeper source of toxicity.

From MIT Technology Review

His company ignored warnings about online toxicity for years.

From TechCrunch

If there’s some toxicity in the space already and you’re bringing in more people, you’re just putting more people in a toxic environment.

From Digiday

Doran Fink, deputy director of the FDA’s clinical division of vaccines and related products applications, told agency advisers the agency expects development and toxicity data on use of the vaccine in pregnant animals later this month.

From Fortune

The broader issue is also playing out without the usual toxicity.

From The Daily Beast

This is a story about the toxicity of the right-wing echo chamber.

From The Daily Beast

As Reagan injected the toxicity of racial division into the American body politic, Jackson spoke about “coming up together”.

From The Daily Beast

Its civility has been crushed; its fragile peace has been blown apart by the mindless toxicity of a summer of violence.

From The Daily Beast

Why tolerate toxicity in a powerful sphere of modern life that has the potential to—and does—benefit so many?

From The Daily Beast

The products of roasting inter-react to produce many compounds of varying degrees of complexity and toxicity.

From Project Gutenberg

Caffein aids the action of nitrates, acetanilid, ethyl alcohol and amyl alcohol, and increases the toxicity of barium chloride.

From Project Gutenberg

No data are as yet available as to the influence of altitude and partial starvation on the toxicity of barium salts.

From Project Gutenberg

With increase of temperature the toxicity of a given dilution increases, and vice versa.

From Project Gutenberg

The claim of comparative non-toxicity is probable enough from what is known about the cacodylate.

From Project Gutenberg