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Synonyms

food poisoning

American  

noun

  1. an acute gastrointestinal condition characterized by such symptoms as headache, fever, chills, abdominal and muscular pain, nausea, diarrhea, and prostration, caused by foods that are naturally toxic, as poisonous mushrooms, by vegetable foods that are chemically contaminated, as by insecticides, or by bacteria or their toxins, especially of the genus Salmonella.

food poisoning British  

noun

  1. an acute illness typically characterized by gastrointestinal inflammation, vomiting, and diarrhoea, caused by food that is either naturally poisonous or contaminated by pathogenic bacteria (esp Salmonella )

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
food poisoning Scientific  

  1. An acute gastrointestinal disorder characterized by vomiting and diarrhea, caused by eating food contaminated with bacteria, usually of the genus Salmonella or the genus Staphylococcus, which produces a toxin.

food poisoning Cultural  

  1. Illnesses that arise from eating food contaminated with pathogenic or toxic (see toxins) substances. Characterized by vomiting and diarrhea, food poisoning is often caused by bacteria, such as salmonella or staphylococci. (See botulism.)

Etymology

Origin of food poisoning

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Levito is loving the experience so much that she won’t even harp on the fact that she briefly battled food poisoning.

From Los Angeles Times

At least 36 infants in the UK have suffered from suspected food poisoning after consuming baby formula, officials have said.

From BBC

More than 30 children in the UK are already suspected to have been affected by food poisoning.

From BBC

Thirty-six infants in the UK have had suspected food poisoning from contaminated baby formula.

From BBC

Niccol was recruited from Chipotle Mexican Grill, where he helped the brand recover from a crisis after food poisoning outbreaks.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.