First Known Use: 13th century
Dictionary
1poison
noun poi·son \ˈpȯi-zən\
: a substance that can cause people or animals to die or to become very sick if it gets into their bodies especially by being swallowed
: something (such as an idea, emotion, or situation) that is very harmful or unpleasant
Full Definition of POISON
1
a : a substance that through its chemical action usually kills, injures, or impairs an organism b (1) : something destructive or harmful (2) : an object of aversion or abhorrence
2
: a substance that inhibits the activity of another substance or the course of a reaction or process <a catalyst poison>
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Origin of POISON
Middle English, from Anglo-French poisun drink, potion, poison, from Latin potion-, potio drink — more at potion
Other Chemical Engineering Terms
Rhymes with POISON
2poison
verb
: to cause (a person or animal) to die or to become very sick with poison
: to put a harmful or deadly substance in or on (something)
: to change (something) in a very harmful or unpleasant way
poi·sonedpoi·son·ing \ˈpȯiz-niŋ, ˈpȯi-zən-iŋ\
Full Definition of POISON
transitive verb
1
a : to injure or kill with poison b : to treat, taint, or impregnate with or as if with poison
2
: to exert a baneful influence on : corrupt <poisoned their minds>
3
: to inhibit the activity, course, or occurrence of <on the night when he poisoned my rest — Charles Dickens>
— poi·son·er \ˈpȯiz-nər, ˈpȯi-zən-ər\ noun
See poison defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of POISON
14th century
3poison
adjective
Definition of POISON
2
: impregnated with poison : poisoned <a poison arrow>
First Known Use of POISON
circa 1520
Related to POISON
- Antonyms
- nonpoisonous, nontoxic, nonvenomous
POISON Defined for Kids
1poison
noun poi·son \ˈpȯi-zən\
Definition of POISON for Kids
: a substance that by its chemical action can injure or kill a living thing
Word History of POISON
Both poison and potion come from the same Latin word, potio, the original meaning of which was just “a drink.” Already in Latin, however, potio could refer to a drink containing powerful substances that might heal or charm—what we call a potion. The Latin word potio became poison in Old French and began to refer to any powerful substance, whether a drink or not, that might sicken or kill when consumed. Poison and later potion both came into English from French.
2poison
verb
poi·sonedpoi·son·ing
Definition of POISON for Kids
1
: to injure or kill with poison
2
: to put poison on or in
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