noun
intoxication
Poisoning caused by a harmful substance.
The laboratory investigated lead intoxication in exposed workers.
Etymology
The source verb means to poison, built on a word for poison. This sense preserves that broad toxic meaning rather than restricting the word to alcohol’s effects.
More examples
- The physician distinguished carbon monoxide intoxication from a respiratory infection.
- The animals developed intoxication after eating contaminated feed.
- The report described accidental intoxication with a household chemical.
Forms
intoxication
Similar words
- poisoning
- Poisoning is the ordinary term; intoxication is a technical term for toxic effects.
- toxicity
- Toxicity is a substance’s harmful quality or effect; intoxication is the affected person’s poisoned state.