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dioxin
Dioxin refers to a specific class of hazardous environmental pollutants. In technical and legal contexts, it is often used as a collective term for a family of related compounds, though it specifically highlights the most toxic members of the polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins group.
Because it is a chemical substance, it is treated as an uncountable mass noun. It is typically used in the context of toxicology, environmental science, and industrial safety, often appearing in discussions regarding soil contamination, waste incineration, or chemical warfare agents like Agent Orange.
Meanings
Any of a group of highly toxic organic compounds, particularly polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, which are often produced as unintended by-products of industrial processes or combustion.
The soil was contaminated with dioxin following the chemical plant explosion.