venom

American  

[ven-uhm] / ˈvɛn əm /

noun

• venoms
  plural

1. the poisonous fluid that some animals, as certain snakes and spiders, secrete and introduce into the bodies of their victims by biting, stinging, etc.

2. something resembling or suggesting poison in its effect; spite; malice.

   the venom of jealousy.

   Synonyms:

   hate, spleen, gall, acerbity, bitterness, acrimony, malignity

3. Archaic. poison in general.

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verb (used with object)

1. Archaic. to make venomous; envenom.

venom British  

/ ˈvɛnəm /

noun

1. a poisonous fluid secreted by such animals as certain snakes and scorpions and usually transmitted by a bite or sting

2. malice; spite

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venom Scientific  

/ vĕn′əm /

1. Any of various poisonous substances secreted by certain snakes, spiders, scorpions, and insects and transmitted to a victim by a bite or sting. Venoms are highly concentrated fluids that typically consist of dozens or hundreds of powerful enzymes, peptides, and smaller organic compounds. These compounds target and disable specific chemicals in the victim, damaging cellular and organ system function. Snake venoms, for example, contain substances that block platelet aggregation (causing bleeding) and that prevent the release of acetylcholine by nerve endings (causing muscle paralysis). Many substances contained in venoms are under investigation for use as pharmaceuticals.

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Synonym Usage

See poison.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• venomousness
  noun
• outvenom
  verb (used with object)
• unvenomed
  adjective
• venomless
  adjective
• venomous
  adjective
• venomously
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• venoms
  plural

Etymology

Origin of venom

First recorded in 1175–1225; variant of Middle English venim, from Anglo-French; Old French venim, venin, from (unattested) Vulgar Latin venīmen, for Latin venēnum “magical herb or potion, poison,” from (unattested) wenes-nom, equivalent to (unattested) wenes- desire ( see venerate, Venus) + (unattested) -nom noun suffix

Explanation

We’re pretty sure you wouldn’t drink a mysterious substance labeled “poisonous snake venom,” even if you didn’t know the meaning of venom. However, just to be clear, venom means "poison." Stay away from it. Venom is poisonous fluid produced by animals such as snakes, spiders, and certain people. Okay — we take that last one back, sort of. Scientifically speaking, people don’t produce venom, but they can certainly do so in a metaphorical sense. That’s why venom can also be used to mean “malice” or “hatred.” If you encounter someone who seems full of venom, remember that kindness can be a good antidote. (So can a really insulting remark.)

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

venom venoms

Protagonist spent more than a decade on the chemistry, drawing inspiration from an unlikely place: venom.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

The venom peptides that snakes and snails use are built as closed loops, which is what lets them survive intact.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

They use their potent venom to kill prey and are not considered dangerous to people because humans don’t look anything like food to them.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026

Finding the best combinations is complicated because snake venom is extraordinarily complex.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 8, 2026

“You’re supposed to be tutoring me,” he said with venom in his voice.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman

The scientific research in those cases involved work around the mosquito-born chikungunya virus, a "highly-pathogenic" strain of the bird flu, a family of viruses that include smallpox and mpox, venoms and other toxins.

From Barron's ● Sep. 11, 2026

For the past five years, The Liana Trust has been studying venoms from species beyond the big four to develop antidotes to them.

From BBC ● Feb. 1, 2026

Scripps Research scientists have developed an antibody that can block the effects of lethal toxins in the venoms of a wide variety of snakes found throughout Africa, Asia and Australia.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 21, 2024

And so natural selection would have endowed organisms with means that help them solve conflicts in their favor: fangs, antlers, neurotoxic venoms.

From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2022

Insects produce a variety of venoms, attractants, repellants.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

Related Words

• bitterness
• hatred
• rancor
• toxin