severe poisoning from ingestion of botulin, which affects the central nervous system producing difficulty in swallowing, visual disturbances, and respiratory paralysis: often fatal
Word origin
C19: first formed as German Botulismus literally: sausage poisoning, from Latin botulus sausage
botulism in American English
(ˈbɑtʃəˌlɪzəm)
noun
poisoning resulting from the toxin produced by botulinus bacteria, sometimes found in foods improperly canned or preserved: characterized by muscular paralysis and disturbances of vision and breathing, and often fatal
Word origin
Ger botulismus < L botulus, sausage (see bowel) + -ismus, -ism: so named from Ger cases involving sausages
Examples of 'botulism' in a sentence
botulism
`I'll throw caution to the winds and risk botulism with a bowl of soup and a cup of coffee.