venom

Meaning

Noun

1. 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. 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

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.