English Lexicon

Non-Lethal Dose

/nɒnˈliːθəl doʊs/
nounCEFR B2 (Upper)Top #15000 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    An amount of a substance that is not harmful or fatal to an organism.

    "The researchers administered a non-lethal dose of the drug to test its effects."
  2. 2

    A quantity of a chemical or biological agent that is intended to incapacitate rather than kill.

    "The police used a non-lethal dose of tear gas to disperse the crowd."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

The term 'non-lethal' combines the prefix 'non-' from Latin meaning 'not' with 'lethal' from Greek 'lethalis' meaning 'deadly'. 'Dose' originates from the Latin 'dosis', meaning 'a giving'. The phrase has evolved to describe amounts of substances that do not cause death.

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