venom

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) An animal toxin intended for defensive or offensive use; a biological poison delivered by bite, sting, etc., to protect an animal or to kill its prey.
2. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) Feeling or speech marked by spite or malice; vitriol.

Verb

To infect with venom; to envenom; to poison.

Adj

Poisonous, poisoned; (figuratively) pernicious.

Synonyms

poison

toxin

virus

malice

spite

toxicant

maliciousness

toxicity

toxic substance

spitefulness

bane

poisonous agent

arsenic

irritation

malicious

narcotics

semen

vicious

whopper

pain

poisonous substance

acrimony

Translations

venin

Gift

veleno

veneno

veneno

δηλητήριο

gif

poison

verí

venenum

peçonha

vergif

venijn

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈvɛnəm/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: venym

In summary

From Middle English venym, from Old French venim, from Vulgar Latin *venīmen, from Early Medieval Latin venīnum, from Classical Latin venēnum (“drug; poison; a charm”), ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European *wenh₁- (“to love”). Doublet of venin and venene.