lethal agent
1
7.7
- noun
- /ˈliːθəl ˈeɪdʒənt/
- Specialized
:
agente letal
- The CDC examined the trial burn data from Army lethal agent incinerators on Johnston Island (J.L.) in the Pacific Ocean in order to better understand the health implications of the air emissions from that facility.
Examples
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Mixed with pancuronium bromide, which is a lethal agent used to execute death row inmates.
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I suppose you've heard, then, they're making lethal agent iv.
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So the very next picture they make is lethal agent ii...
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The only thing I've seen worse than lethal agent was lethal agent ii.
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The only thing I've seen worse than lethal agent was lethal agent ii.
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The lethal agent is an excreted neurotoxin.
Academic text (1995) -
Lethal agent.
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Oh, wow, you're in for a special treat here today, people, 'cause just up ahead we're actually filming a giant crowd scene for the latest silvergate studio picture, lethal agent ill.
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Iraq had used tear gas against both Iranian and Kurdish targets multiple times, but August 1983 was the first use of a lethal agent such as mustard gas. DCI, "Impact and Implications of Chemical Weapons Use," p. 7. # 58.
Academic text (2017) -
The scientists tested different compounds to find a lethal agent that could eliminate harmful bacteria.
Synonyms
14
6.7
An amount of a substance that is enough to cause death
4
3.5
A poisonous substance that can kill or harm living things
1
4.3
A weapon or poison that can cause death
1
4.4
Something that can cause serious harm or death when swallowed, touched and breathed
1
4.6
Poison from an animal, like a snake or frog, that can kill people
1
9.5
A poisonous substance that can harm people and animals
A gene that causes the death of an animal or plant that has it
How Deadly
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'lethal' means causing death and 'agent' denotes the thing or substance causing an effect, so a learner who knows both words can infer 'a substance or factor capable of causing death.' This follows regular noun-modifier patterns and has clear parallels in other languages (e.g., Spanish 'agente letal'), supporting immediate comprehension.
Etymology
Lethal agent combines lethal, meaning 'causing death', and agent, meaning a 'thing that does something'. So imagine a dangerous bottle, gas, or force that acts to kill, and that's why the term means 'a substance or factor capable of causing death'.