B2🏥 Medical
Italian word
tossico
toxic, poisonous; as a noun: a drug addict (colloquial)
Looks like
toxic
toxic = poisonous (adjective only in standard English)
⚠️ The trap
In formal Italian 'tossico' means toxic/poisonous. But in colloquial Italian 'un tossico' means a drug addict. This double meaning can cause serious misunderstandings in medical contexts.
To say "toxic = poisonous (adjective only in standard English)" in Italian:
tossicodipendente (for drug addict, formal)
"tossico" in English means:
toxic, poisonous; as a noun: a drug addict (colloquial)
Example
"Quella sostanza è altamente tossica."
"That substance is highly toxic."
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