Cytotoxic

Cytotoxic: Toxic to cells, cell-toxic, cell-killing. Any agent or process that kills cells. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are forms of cytotoxic therapy. They kill cells. The prefix cyto- denotes a cell. It comes from the Greek kytos meaning hollow, as a cell or container. Toxic is from the Greek toxikon = arrow poison.
* * *

Detrimental or destructive to cells.

* * *

cy·to·tox·ic .sīt-ə-'täk-sik adj toxic to cells <\cytotoxic lymphocytes> <\cytotoxic drugs>

cy·to·tox·ic·i·ty -(.)täk-'sis-ət-ē n, pl -ties

cytotoxic — [sīt΄ō täks′ik] adj. 1. that harms or destroys living cells [cytotoxic drug therapy] 2. of or relating to cytotoxins, their effects, etc. cytotoxicity [sīt΄ō täksis′ə tē] n. * * * cy·to·tox·ic (sī tə tŏkʹsĭk) adj. Of, relating to, or producing a… … Universalium
cytotoxic — [sīt΄ō täks′ik] adj. 1. that harms or destroys living cells [cytotoxic drug therapy] 2. of or relating to cytotoxins, their effects, etc. cytotoxicity [sīt΄ō täksis′ə tē] n … English World dictionary
cytotoxic — 1902, from CYTO (Cf. cyto ) + TOXIC (Cf. toxic). Related: Cytotoxicity … Etymology dictionary
cytotoxic — adjective Date: 1904 1. of or relating to a cytotoxin 2. toxic to cells < cytotoxic drugs > • cytotoxicity noun … New Collegiate Dictionary
cytotoxic — adjective a) of, relating to, or being a cytotoxin b) of, or related to cytotoxicity … Wiktionary
cytotoxic — adj. poisonous to cells, toxic to cells … English contemporary dictionary
cytotoxic — adjective toxic to living cells. Derivatives cytotoxicity noun … English new terms dictionary
cytotoxic — cy·to·tox·ic … English syllables
cytotoxic — /saɪtoʊˈtɒksɪk/ (say suytoh toksik) adjective of or relating to the destruction of cells. {cyto + toxic} … Australian-English dictionary
cytotoxic — Cell killing … English dictionary of cancer terms

Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedias