poisoning
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of poisoning
First recorded in 1400–50, poisoning is from the late Middle English word poisenynge. See poison, -ing 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The free meals programme has been linked to at least 33,000 food poisoning cases as of April, according to local non-governmental organisation Network for Education Watch.
From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026
He thanked the "pioneer" activists he said had raised awareness with "their courageous commitment" to fight the "poisoning" of the land.
From Barron's • May 23, 2026
California’s last major mushroom poisoning outbreak took place in 2016 with 14 reported cases, and while there were no deaths, three people required liver transplants and one child suffered permanent neurological damage.
From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026
Instead of poisoning termites in a broad, fast acting way, it prevents them from making the chitin they need for their next protective shell.
From Science Daily • May 9, 2026
“Hokey the house-elf was convicted by the Ministry of poisoning her mistress’s evening cocoa by accident.”
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
