toxoid

noun

tox·​oid ˈtäk-ˌsȯid How to pronounce toxoid (audio)
: a toxin of a pathogenic organism treated so as to destroy its toxicity but leave it capable of inducing the formation of antibodies on injection

Examples of toxoid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web And for vaccination in particular, payments have been successful for human papillomavirus (HPV) in England; hepatitis B in the United States and the United Kingdom; and tetanus toxoid in Nigeria. The Conversation, oregonlive, 22 May 2021 At the time of the San Antonio epidemic, a vaccine derived from diphtheria toxoid had been in common use for nearly 50 years, and only a few hundred cases were reported annually nationwide. Paula Allen, ExpressNews.com, 16 Jan. 2021 They are made by using a weakened toxin, called a toxoid, and include the DTaP vaccine. Catherine Marfin, Dallas News, 21 Apr. 2020 For the diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine or DTaP, coverage ranged from 88.8% in Idaho to at least 99.2% in Mississippi, according to the report. Jacqueline Howard, CNN, 17 Oct. 2019 Diphtheria and tetanus protection from the DTaP vaccine come from their respective toxoids. Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, 26 Aug. 2019 Gangrene, an anaerobic infection, was common in war wounds, and Stewart helped developed toxoids for gangrene treatment and immunization that would later be used in World War II. Leila McNeill, Smithsonian, 17 June 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'toxoid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

circa 1894, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of toxoid was circa 1894

Dictionary Entries Near toxoid

Cite this Entry

“Toxoid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toxoid. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

toxoid

noun
tox·​oid ˈtäk-ˌsȯid How to pronounce toxoid (audio)
: a toxin of a disease-causing organism treated so as to destroy its poisonous effects while leaving it still capable of causing antibodies to form when it is injected into the body

Medical Definition

toxoid

noun
tox·​oid ˈtäk-ˌsȯid How to pronounce toxoid (audio)
: a toxin of a pathogenic organism treated so as to destroy its toxicity but leave it capable of inducing the formation of antibodies on injection
diphtheria toxoid

called also anatoxin

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