hormesis
English
Etymology
From Greek ὅρμησις (hórmēsis), from Ancient Greek ὁρμή (hormḗ).
Noun
hormesis (countable and uncountable, plural hormeses)
- Stimulation by the use of a low concentration of a toxin.
- 2010, Naomi Oreskes, Erik M. Conway, chapter 5, in Merchants of Doubt:
- So the concept of a permissible, safe, or “threshold” dose gained currency, and this was used to set standards in industries where workers were exposed to radiation, such as uranium mining and nuclear power generation. Some people went even further, arguing for radiation hormesis—that small doses of radiation were actually good for you.