Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “neurotoxic” come from?

Neurotoxic combines the prefix neuro- with toxic, which derives from French toxique, Latin toxicus, and Ancient Greek τοξικός, meaning of or relating to a bow or arrows, later applied to poison on arrows.

neurotoxic (English): Having a toxic effect on nerve tissue

Definitions

  1. Having a toxic effect on nerve tissue

Ancestry of “neurotoxic”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtoxicHaving a chemical nature that is harmful to...
2Frenchtoxiquetoxic
3Latintoxicustoxic; poisonous
4Latintoxicuma poison used on the tips of arrows; any poison
5Ancient Greekτοξικόνinflection of τοξικός : ## neuter...
6Ancient Greekτοξικόςof or for the bow; skilled in the use of the bow;...
7Ancient GreekλόγοςThat which is said: word, sentence, speech,...
8Ancient GreekλέγωI put in order, arrange, gather; I choose, count,...
9Proto-Indo-Europeanleǵ-to gather, collect, with derivatives meaning to...

Words derived from “neurotoxic”

  • neurotoxically
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leǵ- →