English edit

Etymology edit

From toxic +‎ -oid.

Adjective edit

toxicoid (not comparable)

  1. (biology, medicine, rare, dated) Resembling a toxin but not the same.

Usage notes edit

Do not confuse toxicoid (a rare, dated word meaning "resembling a toxin") with toxoid (a common word meaning a weakened derivative of a toxin that is helpful because it can immunize someone against the toxin itself, whose effects are much worse). The words are etymologically related, but the meaning of toxoid more specifically as an immunizing weakened derivative is long since firmly established.

Related terms edit