Toxifiers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Entities or agents that introduce or cause the presence of poisonous or harmful substances in an environment or organism; individuals or forces responsible for corrupting or contaminating situations or systems by introducing dangerous elements; any causes or sources of toxicity that render something harmful or detrimental to health or stability
2. Factors or beings that contaminate by adding toxic chemicals or pollutants; those who contribute to the degradation or harmful alteration of conditions through poisonous influences; elements that induce poisoning or corruption within a living body or ecological setting
3. Sources or contributors of toxins that induce illness or damage by poisoning; persons, substances, or processes that introduce harmful components affecting wellbeing or integrity; causes of contamination that impair normal function through the addition of noxious agents

Etymology: "Toxifiers" is the plural of "toxifier," a noun formed by adding the agent suffix "-er" to the verb "toxify." The verb itself is built from "toxic" and the verbal suffix "-ify," which turns an adjective into a verb meaning to make something into the quality named by the base. To toxify something is to make it toxic, so a toxifier is whatever does the making: a person, substance, or process that introduces poisons. The pattern is a familiar one in English. "-Er" attaches to a verb to name the agent that performs its action, as with "baker" or "driver," and "-ify" has produced many verbs from adjectives, such as "purify" and "simplify." Since "toxic" itself traces back to the Greek word for a bow and the poison used on arrows, the word carries an old image of weapons dipped in venom, now applied to industrial pollution and everyday contamination.

Synonyms: poisoners, contaminators, polluters, infectors, venomous agents

Antonyms: detoxifiers, purifiers, cleaners