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Added 9 October 2026

venom

/ˈvɛnəm/ noun

Latin root: venīnum Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about venom at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

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.
Feeling or speech marked by spite or malice; vitriol.

verb

To infect with venom; to envenom; to poison.

adjective

Poisonous, poisoned; (figuratively) pernicious.

Origin

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.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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