poisonous

[ poi-zuh-nuhs ]
See synonyms for: poisonouspoisonousness on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. full of or containing poison: poisonous air; a poisonous substance.

  2. harmful; destructive: poisonous to animals; poisonous rumors.

  1. deeply malicious; malevolent: poisonous efforts.

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Origin of poisonous

1
First recorded in 1565–75; poison + -ous

Other words from poisonous

  • poi·son·ous·ly, adverb
  • poi·son·ous·ness, noun
  • non·poi·son·ous, adjective
  • non·poi·son·ous·ly, adverb
  • non·poi·son·ous·ness, noun
  • sem·i·poi·son·ous, adjective
  • sem·i·poi·son·ous·ly, adverb
  • un·poi·son·ous, adjective
  • un·poi·son·ous·ly, adverb

Words Nearby poisonous

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use poisonous in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for poisonous

poisonous

/ (ˈpɔɪzənəs) /


adjective
  1. having the effects or qualities of a poison

  2. capable of killing or inflicting injury; venomous

  1. corruptive or malicious

Derived forms of poisonous

  • poisonously, adverb
  • poisonousness, 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