phototoxic
adjective
pho·to·tox·ic
ˌfō-tō-ˈtäk-sik 
1
: rendering the skin susceptible to damage (such as sunburn or blisters) upon exposure to light and especially ultraviolet light
phototoxic antibiotics
2
: induced by a phototoxic substance
Examples of phototoxic in a Sentence
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And then there's the more common ruta graveolens, a phototoxic plant with sap that can make your hands blister in bright sunlight, and so on and so on.
—
Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, 30 May 2017
Phytophotodermatitis from making sangria: a phototoxic reaction to lime and lemon juice.
—Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 27 Mar. 2017
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Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, 30 May 2017
Phytophotodermatitis from making sangria: a phototoxic reaction to lime and lemon juice.
—Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 27 Mar. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Phototoxic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phototoxic. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
phototoxic
adjective
pho·to·tox·ic
ˌfōt-ō-ˈtäk-sik
1
: rendering the skin susceptible to damage (as sunburn or blisters) upon exposure to light and especially ultraviolet light
phototoxic antibiotics
a phototoxic topical agent
2
: induced by a phototoxic substance
a phototoxic response
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