poison
Meaning
-
- A substance that is harmful or lethal to a living organism when ingested.
- Anything harmful to a person or thing.
- (informal) An intoxicating drink; a liquor. (Mainly in the phrases "name your poison" and "what's your poison ?")
- Any substance that inhibits catalytic activity.
Synonyms
toxic substance
kill with poison
poisonous substance
snake venom
venenate
poisoned arrow
be a bad influence
give someone poison
poisonous drug
toxic drug
poisonous agent
hard drug
Frequency
Hyphenated as
poi‧son
Pronounced as (IPA)
/ˈpɔɪz(ə)n/
Etymology
In summary
From Middle English poisoun, poyson, poysone, puyson, puisun, from Old French poison, poisun, from Latin pōtio, pōtiōnis (“drink, a draught, a poisonous draught, a potion”), from pōtō (“I drink”). See also potion and potable (from the same root). Mostly displaced native Old English ātor (see atter).
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Notes