From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishptomainepto‧maine /ˈtəʊmeɪn, təʊˈmeɪn $ ˈtoʊmeɪn, toʊ-/ noun [countable, uncountable] HBMa poisonous substance formed by bacteria in decaying foodOrigin ptomaine (1800-1900) Italian ptomaina, from Greek ptoma “fall, fallen body, dead body”, from piptein “to fall”
