enterotoxin

noun

en·​tero·​tox·​in ˌen-tə-rō-ˈtäk-sən How to pronounce enterotoxin (audio)
: a toxin that is produced by microorganisms (such as some staphylococci) and causes gastrointestinal symptoms (as in some forms of food poisoning or cholera)

Examples of enterotoxin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The adjuvant in the University of Houston’s fentanyl vaccine is an enterotoxin, a chemical produced by the bacteria Escherichia coli and modified to be noninfectious. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2024 The stimuli included Escherichia coli and influenza, which trigger the immune system’s innate response, as well as agents such as the Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin B superantigen (SEB) that directly activate cells in the adaptive immune system called T cells. Alejandra Manjarrez, Scientific American, 14 Feb. 2024 Pinnacle Foods' ready-to-eat dried, sliced beef by Armour Star may have been tainted by staphylococcal enterotoxin and clostridial toxin. Zlati Meyer, USA TODAY, 30 Apr. 2018

Word History

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of enterotoxin was in 1900

Dictionary Entries Near enterotoxin

Cite this Entry

“Enterotoxin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enterotoxin. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

enterotoxin

noun
en·​tero·​tox·​in ˌent-ə-rō-ˈtäk-sən How to pronounce enterotoxin (audio)
: a toxic substance that is produced by microorganisms (as some staphylococci) and causes gastrointestinal symptoms (as in some forms of food poisoning or cholera)

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