text: In Ancient Greek medical literature, the adjective τoξικόν (meaning "toxic") was used to describe substances which had the ability of "causing death or serious debilitation or exhibiting symptoms of infection." The word draws its origins from the Greek noun τόξον  (meaning "arc"), in reference to the use of bows and poisoned arrows as weapons.
  English-speaking American culture has adopted several figurative usages for toxicity, often when describing harmful inter-personal relationships or character traits (e.g. "toxic masculinity").