noun
venom
VEH-nuhm
noun
1
A poisonous substance produced by an animal, such as a snake or scorpion, and delivered through a bite or sting to attack prey or defend itself.
"The snake's venom can cause paralysis within minutes."
2
Speech or feeling full of spite and bitterness.
"She spat the words out with real venom."
How to Use Venom
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA poison an animal injects to attack or defend itself, or figuratively, bitter and hateful speech.
Common mistake
Venom and poison aren't quite the same: venom is injected (bites, stings), while poison usually works if swallowed, absorbed, or inhaled.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
snake venom
spit venom
inject venom
Word Forms
venomed past tense, venoms plural, venoms singular
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The snake's _____ can cause paralysis within minutes.
Etymology
From Old French venim, from Vulgar Latin *venīmen, ultimately from Latin venēnum ("poison, drug, charm").