LD50
noun
: the amount of a toxic agent (such as a poison, virus, or radiation) that is sufficient to kill 50 percent of a population of animals usually within a certain time
Examples of LD50 in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Native to Australia, this snake has the deadliest venom based on median lethal dose, or LD50, tests on mice.
—
Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 24 Sep. 2022
The Novichok nerve agents’ estimated LD50 may be as low as 4,000 ng/kg — deadlier than tetradotoxin, but nowhere close to botulinum’s lethality.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 25 Sep. 2018
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 24 Sep. 2022
The Novichok nerve agents’ estimated LD50 may be as low as 4,000 ng/kg — deadlier than tetradotoxin, but nowhere close to botulinum’s lethality.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 25 Sep. 2018
Dictionary Entries Near LD50
Cite this Entry
“LD50.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/LD50. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
LD50
noun
variants
or LD50
: the amount of a toxic agent (as a poison, virus, or radiation) that is sufficient to kill 50 percent of a population of animals usually within a certain time
called also median lethal dose
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share