endotoxin

E1N1D2O1T1O1X8I1N1

noun

Any toxin secreted by a microorganism and released into the surrounding environment only when it dies.

Opposite
exotoxin
OriginEnglish toxin ← Latin toxicum ← Ancient Greek τοξικόν (toxikón) →
Less commonScrabble 17
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Meanings

nounendotoxin (plural endotoxins)

plural endotoxins

  1. Any toxin secreted by a microorganism and released into the surrounding environment only when it dies.

    It may resemble the factor 5 in Salmonella, a heat-labile determinant on the endotoxin molecule which, because of its superficial location, blocks the agglutination reaction of the deeper heat-stable O antigens in the same way as do the Vi and K antigens.

    1966, Karina Dzintars Burda, A Study of Heat-labile Superficial Somatic Antigen of Vibrio Fetus, page 41

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna toxin that is confined inside the microorganisms and is released only when the microorganisms are broken down or die

Opposite
exotoxin
Broader
toxin

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₁n̥dóm
  2. Proto-Hellenic*éndon
  3. Ancient Greekἔνδον (éndon)
  4. Englishendo-
  5. Ancient Greekτόξον (tóxon)
  6. Ancient Greekτοξῐκός (toxĭkós)
  7. Ancient Greekτοξικόν (toxikón)
  8. Latintoxicum
  9. Englishtoxin
  10. Englishendotoxin

From endo- + toxin.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan endotoxina
  • endotoxinaany toxin secreted by a microorganism that is released into surrounding environment only when it dies
Czech endotoxin
  • endotoxinany toxin secreted by a microorganism that is released into surrounding environment only when it dies
Finnish endotoksiini, hajautumismyrkky
  • endotoksiiniany toxin secreted by a microorganism that is released into surrounding environment only when it dies
  • hajautumismyrkkyany toxin secreted by a microorganism that is released into surrounding environment only when it dies
French endotoxine
  • endotoxineany toxin secreted by a microorganism that is released into surrounding environment only when it dies
Greek ενδοτοξίνη
  • ενδοτοξίνη (endotoxíni)any toxin secreted by a microorganism that is released into surrounding environment only when it dies
Hungarian endotoxin
  • endotoxinany toxin secreted by a microorganism that is released into surrounding environment only when it dies
Icelandic inneitur
  • inneiturany toxin secreted by a microorganism that is released into surrounding environment only when it dies
Italian endotossina
  • endotossinaany toxin secreted by a microorganism that is released into surrounding environment only when it dies
Polish endotoksyna
  • endotoksynaany toxin secreted by a microorganism that is released into surrounding environment only when it dies
Portuguese endotoxina
  • endotoxinaany toxin secreted by a microorganism that is released into surrounding environment only when it dies
Romanian endotoxină
  • endotoxinăany toxin secreted by a microorganism that is released into surrounding environment only when it dies
Russian эндотокси́н
  • эндотокси́н (endotoksín)any toxin secreted by a microorganism that is released into surrounding environment only when it dies
Spanish endotoxina
  • endotoxinaany toxin secreted by a microorganism that is released into surrounding environment only when it dies
Cite this entry
APA

endotoxin. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/endotoxin

MLA

“endotoxin.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/endotoxin. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “endotoxin,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/endotoxin.

Source: endotoxin on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.