ricin

noun

ri·​cin ˈrī-sᵊn How to pronounce ricin (audio)
ˈri-
: a poisonous protein in the castor bean

Examples of ricin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Bahne Stechmann at the Curie Institute has discovered the first small molecule that protects mice against ricin. Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 30 Dec. 2010 Craven struggles to recall all of the cases she's had a hand in, but a few come to mind, like a criminal case involving a New Boston, Texas, woman who sent letters laced with poisonous ricin to the U.S. president and others. Arkansas Online, 31 May 2022 There have been several incidents in recent years involving ricin being sent through the mail. CBS News, 19 Sep. 2020 In his truck, officers found a plastic water gun and five tubes that tested positive for ricin. Amanda Rabines, Orlando Sentinel, 10 May 2022 See all Example Sentences for ricin 

Word History

Etymology

Latin ricinus castor-oil plant

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ricin was in 1896

Dictionary Entries Near ricin

Cite this Entry

“Ricin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ricin. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

ricin

noun
: a poisonous protein in the castor bean

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