venomous
AdjectiveOpen English WordNet
Adjective (2)
- extremely poisonous or injurious; producing venom“venomous snakes”“a virulent insect bite”Synonyms: deadlyvirulentOpposite atoxicSimilar toxic
- marked by deep ill will; deliberately harmful“poisonous hate”“venomous criticism”“vicious gossip”Synonyms: poisonousviciousOpposite unmaliciousSimilar malicious
What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Origin: OE. venemous, venimous, F. venimeux, L. venenosus, fr. venenum poison. See Venom, and cf. Venenose.
1. Full of venom; noxious to animal life; poisonous; as, the bite of a serpent may be venomous.
2. Zoology Having a poison gland or glands for the secretion of venom, as certain serpents and insects.
3. Noxious; mischievous; malignant; spiteful; as, a venomous progeny; a venomous writer.
Venomous snake Zoology, any serpent which has poison glands and fangs, whether dangerous to man or not. These serpents constitute two tribes, the viperine serpents, or Solenoglypha, and the cobralike serpents, or Proteroglypha. The former have perforated, erectile fangs situated in the front part of the upper jaw, and are without ordinary teeth behind the fangs; the latter have permanently erect and grooved fangs, with ordinary maxillary teeth behind them.
— Ven′wb-a1′>′om·ous·ly, adverb — Ven′wb-a1′>′om·ous·ness, noun
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54