What does hemotoxic mean?
The adjective hemotoxic is a specialized medical and toxicological term meaning poisonous to the blood. It is used when a substance, medication, biological agent, or exposure poses a direct toxic hazard to blood cells or the blood itself. The word is formal and relatively uncommon in general prose, but it is useful in toxicology, pharmacology, pathology, and safety documentation because it identifies the kind of tissue at risk rather than merely calling something poisonous. For a general audience, "toxic to the blood" may often be clearer. A report may describe a finding as hemotoxic when evidence shows adverse effects involving blood. The term should not be used merely to mean that a substance enters the bloodstream; that property is commonly described as systemic or blood-borne, whereas hemotoxicity specifically concerns poisonous effects on blood. Overall, hemotoxic is a precise clinical adjective whose meaning is directly suggested by its formation from a blood-related element and "toxic."
adjectivePoisonous or damaging to the blood. The term is used in medical and toxicological contexts for substances that can injure blood cells or otherwise exert a toxic effect on blood.
- Poisonous or damaging to the blood.
"The researchers warned that the compound could be hemotoxic in high doses."
"The researchers warned that the compound could be hemotoxic in high doses."
"The toxicology report described the venom as hemotoxic because of its damaging effects on blood cells."
Hemotoxic literally names a poison’s target: the blood itself.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of hemotoxic
Hemotoxic is a modern English scientific formation combining hemo-, a combining form meaning "blood," with toxic, meaning "poisonous." The word toxic comes through Latin toxicus from Greek toxikos, derived from toxikon, "poison." The parallel spelling hematotoxic uses the related combining form hemat(o)-.
How hemotoxic is actually used
This is a formal, specialized medical and toxicological adjective. It is relatively uncommon in general writing, where "toxic to the blood" may be easier to understand.
Easily confused with hemotoxic
Hematotoxic is a variant spelling of hemotoxic and has the same meaning: poisonous to the blood.