poisonous

[poi-zuh-nuhs]

adjective

1. full of or containing poison.

   poisonous air; a poisonous substance.

2. harmful; destructive.

   poisonous to animals; poisonous rumors.

3. deeply malicious; malevolent.

   poisonous efforts.

poisonous

/ ˈpɔɪzənəs /

adjective

1. having the effects or qualities of a poison

2. capable of killing or inflicting injury; venomous

3. corruptive or malicious

Other Word Forms

• poisonously adverb
• poisonousness noun
• nonpoisonous adjective
• nonpoisonously adverb
• nonpoisonousness noun
• semipoisonous adjective
• semipoisonously adverb
• unpoisonous adjective
• unpoisonously adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of poisonous¹

First recorded in 1565–75; poison + -ous

Example Sentences

Ama takes one of the petals of the poisonous flowers and starts an Adinkra symbol—like two number threes, turned away from each other and held together by a long line.

Read more on Literature

Part of the reasoning in 2018 was site investigations found the ground underlain with peat deposits, as well as toxic and phytotoxic - meaning poisonous to plants - risk from shallow soils.

Read more on BBC

Its poisonous thorns also injure livestock, leaving them too weak to roam for food, he added.

Read more on Barron's

Promotion of knowledge and understanding has given way to inculcation of a poisonous fringe ideology.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The scientists discovered that the reaction between hydrogen sulfide -- a poisonous gas -- and solid iron minerals is not only a chemical process, but also a biological one.

Read more on Science Daily

Related Words

• dangerous 
• deadly 
• destructive 
• fatal 
• lethal 
• noxious 
• pernicious 
• toxic 
• venomous 
• vicious 
• virulent