Definition

A harmful substance that comes from a living organism and can cause illness or injury.

Example

The scientist studied the effects of the biotoxin on marine life.

Conversation

Have you heard about that recent study on biotoxins?

Yeah, it was fascinating how some organisms produce them naturally.

I didn't realize that biotoxins could be so dangerous in the wrong hands.

Absolutely! It's a real concern for environmental safety.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Biotoxin is formed from "bio-" (from Greek "bios", meaning life) and "toxin" (from Greek "toxikon", meaning poison). The word refers to a poison that is produced by a living organism.

Memory Tip

Think of 'life' ('bio-') and 'poison' ('toxin') to remember that a biotoxin is a poison that comes from a living organism.

Visually Confused Words