Poison vs. Toxin — What's the Difference?

In biology, poisons are substances that can cause death, injury or harm to organs, tissues, cells, and DNA usually by chemical reactions or other activity on the molecular scales, when an organism is exposed to a sufficient quantity.In a metaphorical broader use of term it may refer to any thing deemed harmful. The fields of medicine (particularly veterinary) and zoology often distinguish a poison from a toxin, and from a venom.

A toxin is a harmful substance produced within living cells or organisms; synthetic toxicants created by artificial processes are thus excluded. The term was first used by organic chemist Ludwig Brieger (1849–1919), derived from the word toxic.Toxins can be small molecules, peptides, or proteins that are capable of causing disease on contact with or absorption by body tissues interacting with biological macromolecules such as enzymes or cellular receptors.

A substance that causes injury, illness, or death, especially by chemical means.

A poison of plant or animal origin, especially one produced by or derived from microorganisms and acting as an antigen in the body.

Something destructive or fatal.

A poisonous substance, especially a protein, that is produced by living cells or organisms and is capable of causing disease when introduced into the body tissues but is often also capable of inducing neutralizing antibodies or antitoxins.

(Chemistry) A substance that inhibits another substance or a reaction

A poisonous or harmful nonbiological substance, such as a pollutant.

To kill or harm with poison.

(strictly) A toxic substance, specifically a poison produced by the biological processes of organisms.

To put poison on or into

Synonym of toxicant: a toxic substance in a body requiring removal.

To pollute

A poisonous product formed by an organism, such as a pathogenic bacterium, a plant or an animal, usually having a high molecular weight, often a protein or a polysaccharide, but occasionally a low-molecular weight agent such as tetrodotoxin.

To have a harmful influence on; corrupt

A poisonous substance produced during the metabolism and growth of certain microorganisms and some higher plant and animal species

Chemistry & Physics To inhibit (a substance or reaction).

Poisonous.

A substance that is harmful or lethal to a living organism when ingested.

Something that harms a person or thing.

(informal) An intoxicating drink; a liquor. (note: this sense is chiefly encountered in the phrases "name your poison" and "what's your poison ?")

(chemistry) Any substance that inhibits catalytic activity.

(transitive) To use poison to kill or paralyse (somebody).

(transitive) To pollute; to cause to become poisonous.

(transitive) To cause to become much worse.

(transitive) To cause (someone) to hate or to have unfair negative opinions.

(chemistry) To inhibit the catalytic activity of.

To place false information into (a cache) as part of an exploit.

Any agent which, when introduced into the animal organism, is capable of producing a morbid, noxious, or deadly effect upon it; as, morphine is a deadly poison; the poison of pestilential diseases.

That which taints or destroys moral purity or health; as, the poison of evil example; the poison of sin.

To put poison upon or into; to infect with poison; as, to poison an arrow; to poison food or drink.

To injure or kill by poison; to administer poison to.

To taint; to corrupt; to vitiate; as, vice poisons happiness; slander poisoned his mind.

To act as, or convey, a poison.

Any substance that causes injury or illness or death of a living organism

Anything that harms or destroys;

Spoil as if by poison;

Kill by its poison;

Kill with poison;

Add poison to;

Administer poison to;