“Toxic” means something that’s poisonous or really harmful. It’s like something bad that can make you sick or even hurt you.

Where did the word come from?

A long, long time ago, people who used bows and arrows would put poison on the arrow tips to hunt animals or fight battles. The word “toxic” comes from the old Greek words for “bow” and “arrow.”

How do we use the word “toxic”?

• Things that are poisonous:
  • “Be careful! Those berries are toxic.”
  • “Chemicals in that cleaning spray can be toxic if you breathe them in.”
• Mean or nasty people:
  • “Bullying creates a toxic environment at school.”
  • “Her toxic friend always made her feel bad about herself.”
• Things that are really bad for you:
  • “That air pollution is toxic to our health.”
  • “Too much screen time can be toxic for our brains.”

Interesting fact:

Sometimes people use the word “toxic” to describe things that aren’t actually poisonous, but are just really bad or unhealthy in some way.

Let me know if you’d like definitions for other words!