neurotoxin
/ˈn(j)ʊɹoʊtɑksɪn/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.33 in modern English
17
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
4
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A toxin that specifically acts upon neurons, their synapses, or the nervous system in its entirety.
Example Sentences
- "There were stretches of days when the lakes were closed because of the algae. It sometimes secreted neurotoxins that could be fatal."
- "Among those who think of fugu as merely a distant delicacy, knowledge rarely goes beyond the fish’s infamous trait: In the most delicious species, the innards are suffused with the neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin (TTX)."
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(s)neh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-wr̥ Proto-Indo-European *snéh₁wr̥der. Ancient Greek νεῦρον (neûron) Ancient Greek νευρο- (neuro-)der. English neuro- Undeterminedder.? Ancient Greek τόξον (tóxon) Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Hellenic *-kos Ancient Greek -κός (-kós) Ancient Greek -ῐκός (-ĭkós) Ancient Greek τοξῐκός (toxĭkós) Ancient Greek τοξικόν (toxikón)der. Latin toxicum Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Indo-European *-iHnos Proto-Italic *-īnos Latin -īnusder. Old French -inbor. Middle English -in English -ineclip. English -in English toxin English neurotoxin From neuro- + toxin.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈn(j)ʊɹoʊtɑksɪn/