anatoxin
|a-na-tox-in|
🇺🇸
/ˈæn.əˌtɑːk.sɪn/
🇬🇧
/ˈæn.əˌtɒk.sɪn/
bacterial neurotoxin
Etymology
'anatoxin' originates from Greek, specifically the prefix 'ana-' meaning 'up, again, back' and 'toxin' meaning 'poison'.
'anatoxin' was formed in modern scientific English by combining the Greek-derived prefix 'ana-' with 'toxin', and eventually became the modern English word 'anatoxin'.
Initially, it referred to a general toxin, but over time it evolved to specifically mean a neurotoxin produced by bacteria, especially cyanobacteria.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a potent neurotoxin produced by certain bacteria, especially cyanobacteria, that can cause paralysis or death by affecting the nervous system.
The presence of anatoxin in the water made it unsafe for swimming.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/01 01:06