noun / verb
poison
POY-zun/ˈpɔɪzn/
A substance that can cause illness or death.
The sealed bottle of poison bears a clear danger symbol.
Etymology
Potio could mean an ordinary drink or a poisonous one. The harmful-drink sense became central to poison, which came to name a deadly substance rather than only something drunk.
In context
even skin contact with the poison can kill you
More examples
- Some mushrooms can poison people who eat them.
- Keep household poisons out of children's reach.
- The spill poisoned the river and killed several fish.
Forms
poison · poisons · poisoned · poisoning
poisonous adjective — Containing poison or able to cause poisoning.
Similar words
- toxin
- Specifically a poison produced by a living organism.
- venom
- Poison an animal delivers through a bite or sting.