Dictionary

poisonous en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• audio
• /ˈpɔɪzənəs/
• /ˈpɔɪznəs/

Etymology

From Middle English poisounous, poysonouse. By surface analysis, poison + -ous.

Meanings

1. Containing sufficient poison to be dangerous to touch or ingest.
   • Nor taint-worm ſhall infect the yeaning herds / Nor penny-graſs, nor ſpearwort's poiſ'nous leaf. 1757, John Dyer, “Book I”, in The Fleece: A Poem […] , London: R. and J. Dodsley, page 40:
   • I had picked a mushroom so poisonous that particles of it, stuck to my fingers and accidentally swallowed, could have made me deathly ill, and a piece the size of my thumb could have killed me. 2003, Charles L. Fergus, Common Edible and Poisonous Mushrooms of the Northeast, Stackpole Books, →ISBN, page 77:
   • While highly poisonous to dogs, this substance is completely harmless if ingested by humans.
2. (proscribed, sometimes) Of an animal such as a snake or spider, or parts of its body: producing a toxin intended for defensive or offensive use which is usually injected into an enemy or prey by biting or stinging; hence, of a bite or sting: injecting poison.
   • SERPENT … either that which is not poiſonous: or that which is counted poiſonous, having two long, hollow, moveable teeth, … 1668, John Wilkins, chapter V, in An Essay Towards a Real Character, And a Philosophical Language., London: Printer to the Royal Society, page 161:
   • These antivenins make living near poisonous spiders much safer. 2002, B. Kalman and K. Smithyman, The Life Cycle of a Spider, Crabtree Publishing Company, page 31:
   • Poisonous snakes should only be handled by experienced professionals.
   • The characteristics which separate the dangerously venomous groups from their non-poisonous relatives are emphasized. 1963, United States. Navy Department. Naval Operations Office, Poisonous Snakes of the World, U.S. Government Printing Office, page 29:
   • Evidently the first thing to ascertain is whether the case is really that of a bite by a poisonous snake… 1895, Leonhard Stejneger, The Poisonous Snakes of North America, Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, page 475:
   • The Cencoatl (o), which is alſo a poiſonous ſnake, is about five feet long, and eight inches round at the thickeſt part. 1787, F.S. Clavigero, The History of Mexico, London: G. G. J. and J. Robinson, page 60:
3. (figuratively) Negative, harmful.
   • He didn't want to end up like his grandfather, bitter and intractable, consumed in his hatred like an addict on haze — a poisonous attitude that would possess him all his remaining years. 2013, Kylie Griffin, Allegiance Sworn, Penguin, →ISBN:

Forms

Antonyms

nonpoisonous · unpoisonous

Deriveds

nonpoisonous · autopoisonous · unpoisonous · poisonousness · poisonous compliment · fruit of the poisonous tree · poisonously

Synonyms

poisoned · attery · toxic · toxic · venomous

Translations (93)

it velenifero (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · fr toxique (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · de giftig (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · sh о̀тро̄ван (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · el δηλητηριώδης (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · fr vénéneux (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · tr zehirli (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · fi myrkyttävä ((figuratively) negative, harmful) · pa ਵਿਸੂਲ਼ਾ (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · alt коронду (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · uk отру́йний (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · hu mérgező (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · nl giftig (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · rup nfãrmãcos (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · la venēnōsus (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · be ядаві́ты (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · pl trujący (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · io venenoza (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · it tossico (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · mhr аяр (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · fur velenôs (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · hi विषाक्त (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · vec tosegoxo (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · bg отро́вен (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · it velenoso (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · ro otrăvitor (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · fi myrkyllinen (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · ru токси́чный (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · is eitraður (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · nb giftig (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · az zəhərli (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · fi myrkyllinen ((figuratively) negative, harmful) · ota مسموم (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · tl nakalalason (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · lb gëfteg (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · rup fãrmãchiros (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · fi haitallinen ((figuratively) negative, harmful) · atv корондуг (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · lv indīgs (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · ro veninos (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · ast venenosu (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · be атру́тны (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · id beracun (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · nap 'ntussecoso (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · vec tosego (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · pt tóxico (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · mk отровен (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · txb wsetstse (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · ar سَامّ (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · rup toapsec (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · oc verinós (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · ga nimhiúil (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · ru ядови́тый (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · de giftig ((figuratively) negative, harmful) · la toxicus (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · eo veneniga (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · alt уулу (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · sa विष (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · pt venenoso (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · hu mérges (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · atv оолыг (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · gd puinnseanta (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · te విషపూరిత (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · gv nieuagh (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · ang ǣtren (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · gl velenoso (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · ang ǣtriġ (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · ca tòxic (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · sl strupen (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · vo venenik (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · vec vełenoxo (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · cy gwenwynig (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · sh òtrōvan (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · gv pyshoonagh (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · yi גיפֿטיק (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · fur tossic (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · de toxisch ((figuratively) negative, harmful) · kk улы (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · da giftig (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · hy թունավոր (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · nl verziekt ((figuratively) negative, harmful) · nl toxisch ((figuratively) negative, harmful) · lb gëfteg ((figuratively) negative, harmful) · nb skadelig (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · yi סמיק (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · hi ज़हरीला (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · la venēnifer (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · cs jedovatý (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · eo venena (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · cmn 有毒的 (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · sk jedovatý (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · ca verinós (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous) · es ponzoñoso (containing sufficient poison to be dangerous)