: a substance (such as a toxin or antibody) having a toxic effect on cells
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebThe venom from the recluse is a potent cytotoxin that can cause necrotic lesions that could take months to heal.al, 28 June 2022 Case in point: None of the athletes tested in his recent study experienced health problems, aside from unrelated GI stress, despite their elevated cytotoxin levels. Amanda Macmillan, Outside Online, 17 June 2015 The venom is a cytotoxin (cell-destroying) that produces massive tissue damage, and what is reported to be the most agonizing of any snakebite. David E. Petzal, Field & Stream, 30 June 2020 Venoms contain cytotoxins, cardiotoxins, hemotoxins and neurotoxins, components of which can be used in the treatment of cancer and many other medical conditions. Malia Wollan, New York Times, 30 June 2017
Word History
First Known Use
1900, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
cytotoxin
noun
cy·to·tox·in ˌsīt-ə-ˈtäk-sən
: a substance (as a toxin or antibody) having a toxic effect on cells