poisonous

[poi-zuh-nuh s]

See more synonyms for poisonous on Thesaurus.com

adjective

full of or containing poison: poisonous air; a poisonous substance.
harmful; destructive: poisonous to animals; poisonous rumors.
deeply malicious; malevolent: poisonous efforts.

Origin of poisonous

First recorded in 1565–75; poison + -ous

Related formspoi·son·ous·ly, adverbpoi·son·ous·ness, nounnon·poi·son·ous, adjectivenon·poi·son·ous·ly, adverbnon·poi·son·ous·ness, nounsem·i·poi·son·ous, adjectivesem·i·poi·son·ous·ly, adverbun·poi·son·ous, adjectiveun·poi·son·ous·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for poisonous

Contemporary Examples

Alcohol and sugar, even in moderate amounts, are not only sinful but poisonous.
How Taryn Toomey’s ‘The Class’ Became New York’s Latest Fitness Craze
Lizzie Crocker
January 9, 2015
The stench of corruption is settling over world soccer like a poisonous fog, and players are paying the price.
Is Soccer Great Lionel Messi Corrupt?
Jack Holmes
December 8, 2014
In Greek mythology, the Gorgon Medusa had the face of a woman and poisonous snakes for hair; her glance could turn men to stone.
Russia’s Freest Website Now Lives in Latvia
Anna Nemtsova
November 29, 2014
Other organisms died off in large numbers because oxygen was poisonous to them.
Why Did It Take So Long For Complex Life To Evolve On Earth? Blame Oxygen.
Matthew R. Francis
November 2, 2014
That said, this particularly retiring writer has received a poisonous gift from the Nobel committee.
Nobel Prize Winner Modiano’s Magical Musical Prose About Paris
Pierre Assouline
October 14, 2014

Historical Examples

If there is a poisonous one among them, the onion will turn black.
Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches
Eliza Leslie
It is some of the rivers flowing into it that are poisonous.
Aino Folk-Tales
Basil Hall Chamberlain
Chemistry cannot tell us why some food is wholesome and other food is poisonous.
Bunyan
James Anthony Froude
From this I quote the following, which is by no means the most erring and most poisonous of their shafts.
The Book of Khalid
Ameen Rihani
"They're just weeds and some of them might be poisonous," he declared.
L'Assommoir
Emile Zola

British Dictionary definitions for poisonous

poisonous

adjective

having the effects or qualities of a poison
capable of killing or inflicting injury; venomous
corruptive or malicious

Derived Formspoisonously, adverbpoisonousness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for poisonous

adj.

1570s, from poison (n.) + -ous. Failed 16c. rivals were poisonsome, poisonful, poisony. Earlier poisoned was used (late 15c.). Related: Poisonously; poisonousness.

poisonous in Medicine

poisonous

(poi′zə-nəs)

adj.

Relating to or caused by a poison.

poisonous

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}poisonous

Related Words

Examples from the Web for poisonous

Contemporary Examples

Alcohol and sugar, even in moderate amounts, are not only sinful but poisonous.

The stench of corruption is settling over world soccer like a poisonous fog, and players are paying the price.

In Greek mythology, the Gorgon Medusa had the face of a woman and poisonous snakes for hair; her glance could turn men to stone.

Other organisms died off in large numbers because oxygen was poisonous to them.

That said, this particularly retiring writer has received a poisonous gift from the Nobel committee.

Historical Examples

If there is a poisonous one among them, the onion will turn black.

It is some of the rivers flowing into it that are poisonous.

Chemistry cannot tell us why some food is wholesome and other food is poisonous.

From this I quote the following, which is by no means the most erring and most poisonous of their shafts.

"They're just weeds and some of them might be poisonous," he declared.

poisonous

Word Origin and History for poisonous

adj.

poisonous

Origin of poisonous