phytotoxin

9.9

A poisonous substance made by a plant that can harm animals or crops

noun
/ˌfaɪtoʊˈtɒksɪn/

Specialized

: fitotoxina

Certain weeds release phytotoxins into the soil, inhibiting the growth of surrounding vegetation.

Examples

Farmers need to be cautious of phytotoxins produced by some crops that can harm neighboring plants.
The scientist studied the effects of a particular phytotoxin on various plant species.
So it was suggested in the present study that chlorosis-producing symptoms were due to damage to chloroplasts by the action of any phytotoxin that induced chlorosis symptoms.

Academic text (2014)

Synonyms

toxin

vsphytotoxin

Specialized

140 5.3

A poisonous substance that some animals, plants, or bacteria make

is restricted to poisons that originate in plants rather than many organisms

biotoxin

vsphytotoxin

Specialized

3 7.9

A poisonous substance made by a living thing like a plant, animal, or germ

is limited to poisons made by plants rather than any living organism

plant toxin

vsphytotoxin

Specialized

4.6

A poison made by a plant that can harm people or animals

is the technical one-word name often used in scientific contexts

Antonyms

non-poisonous

2.5

Safe to eat, touch, or use

How Poisonous

lethal agent

Specialized

1 7.7

phytotoxin

Specialized

9.9

toxic

4 3.5

Surface Forms

phytotoxin singular

phytotoxins plural

Morphology

phytotoxin = toxin (semi-transparent) = phyto + toxin

Formed by the scientific combining form 'phyto-' (plant) plus 'toxin'; this is clear to those familiar with scientific prefixes but not to average learners, so partial transparency.

Etymology

The word phytotoxin comes from phyto- meaning 'plant' and toxin meaning 'poison', as you see in the familiar word toxic. So a phytotoxin is a 'plant poison', a poisonous substance made by a plant.