A word that means harmful to touch?

Question

I'm looking for a word to describe something that's harmful to touch.  A word like corrosive or caustic, but without the implied danger itself (acidic, burning, etc.).

Something like:
The surface of the floor is highly [word].

Ideas?

Martin S. Stoller · Answer

"Perilous" might be the closest to what you are looking for, but honestly I can't think of (or find in my trusty thesaurus) an English word that describes a generic "harmful to (the) touch" concept.

"perilous" is defined as "involving possible risk, loss, or injury", and thus not 100% touch specific - could be the floor (from your example sentence) might get up and slap you if you get too close, fully filling the promise of being "perilous"...

Same goes for "hazardous" and similar words.

Will be interesting if anyone comes up with the word you are looking for.

FumbleFingers · Answer

If you want words that don't identify the exact nature of the danger, deleterious, harmful, or injurious might do. I don't think there's a word that specifically and only means harmful to touch, though.

Answered by FumbleFingers on February 1, 2021

user399860 · Answer

Noxitanous: harmful and/or toxic to touch such as poison ivy.  a shortening and suffixed form of the latin phrase “nocivis et tange” harmful to touch.

A word that means harmful to touch?

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