Where does “toxic” come from?

Toxic comes from French toxique, from Latin toxicus, from Ancient Greek τοξικός, meaning "of or for arrows," derived from τόξον meaning "bow."

toxic (English): Having a chemical nature that is harmful to...

Definitions

  1. Having a chemical nature that is harmful to...

Ancestry of “toxic”, step by step

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

Words derived from “toxic

Every word from Proto-Indo-European leǵ-
toxic — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer