Botulism
/ˈbɒtʃ.ʊ.lɪ.zəm/noun
A serious illness caused by toxins produced by Clostridium bacteria, often from contaminated food or wounds.
Did you know?The name *botulism* was coined because early cases were linked to sausages, from Latin *botulus* meaning “sausage,” so a modern medical terror is literally named after food gone lethal.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
botulus
“sausage; blood sausage”
18th Century
German
Botulismus
“a poisoning associated with sausage”
19th Century
French
botulisme
“food poisoning from contaminated sausage”
Late 19th Century
English
botulism
“a form of severe food poisoning caused by a bacterial toxin”
Modern English
English
botulism
“serious illness caused by botulinum toxin”