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Where does the word "toxic" come from? It comes from Greek toxikon, passing through Latin before entering English (1660s).
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Where does the word "toxic" come from? It comes from Greek toxikon, passing through Latin before entering English (1660s).
Toxic’s story begins in Greek: toxikon meant “poison for arrows.” Greek, from 'toxon', bow. By ancient, the word had taken hold in Latin as toxicus. Romans dropped the arrow sense and kept 'poison'. It reached English by 1660s as toxic. 'toxic relationship' dates from the 2000s. Today, toxic means poisonous; harmful.
- Stage 1 · Greek · ancient toxikon "poison for arrows", Greek, from 'toxon', bow.
- Stage 2 · Latin · ancient toxicus "poisonous", Romans dropped the arrow sense and kept 'poison'.
- Stage 3 · English · 1660s toxic "poisonous", 'toxic relationship' dates from the 2000s.