venom
/ˈvɛnəm
/noun [mass noun]
1A poisonous substance secreted by animals such as snakes, spiders, and scorpions and typically injected into prey or aggressors by biting or stinging: [count noun]: snake venoms have different effects...
- Amazingly, one of the toxins resembles an enzyme found in potent snake venoms.
- In addition, they differ in their binding ability to proteinases in crude snake venoms.
- Cobra attacks its prey by spitting poisonous venom called neurotoxin.
Synonyms
poison, toxin
archaic bane
rare toxicant
1.1Extreme malice and bitterness shown in someone’s attitudes, speech, or actions: his voice was full of venom...
- Once again Grace spoke quietly, with absolutely no venom or malice, or any emotion at all.
- That's why our country is in the mess it is in right now, even our so-called religious leaders are full of venom.
- But the debates were good ones and, on the whole, discussions were held without rancour or venom.
Synonyms
rancour, malevolence, vitriol, spite, spitefulness, vindictiveness, malice, maliciousness, malignity, malignancy, viciousness, nastiness, ill will, ill feeling, animosity, animus, acrimony, acrimoniousness, bitterness, embitterment, embitteredness, sourness, resentment, grudgingness, virulence, antagonism, hostility, bad blood, bile, spleen, gall, enmity, hate, hatred, dislike, antipathy, aversion
informal bitchiness, cattiness
rare maleficence, causticity, mordacity
Derivatives
venomed
- Who is the venomed, swag-bellied skainsmate of a lawyer who heads up the Bahamas Bar Association?
Origin
Middle English: from Old French venim, variant of venin, from an alteration of Latin venenum 'poison'.