What does poison mean?
A poison is a substance capable of causing serious injury, illness, or death when swallowed, inhaled, absorbed through the skin, or otherwise introduced into the body. The term can also be used as a verb: to poison a person or animal means to give it poison, while to poison food, water, or soil means to contaminate it with a harmful substance. Poison is not limited to lethal chemicals; it may refer to a naturally occurring toxin, toxic gas, contaminated material, or poisonous plant. The word also has figurative uses. A rumour may poison a relationship, scandal may poison a reputation, and dishonest information may poison public discussion. In these contexts, the word conveys persistent damage, mistrust, or corruption rather than literal physical harm. It is related in origin to words such as potion, potable, and intoxication, all reflecting the older idea of drinking. Although poison and toxin are sometimes used interchangeably, toxin more specifically denotes a poisonous substance produced by a living organism.
A substance that can cause serious injury, illness, or death when swallowed, inhaled, absorbed, or otherwise introduced into the body.
"The investigators found traces of poison in the glass."
A poison is a general harmful substance; toxin is usually more specific to substances produced by living organisms.
To give or introduce poison to a person or animal, or to contaminate food, water, soil, or another substance with something harmful.
"Someone had tried to poison the dogs guarding the property."
The verb often suggests deliberate wrongdoing, although accidental contamination can also be described as poisoning.
Usually countable when referring to particular harmful substances; less commonly used in the plural for a general category of substance.
"The tests identified several different poisons in the samples."
The Latin ancestor of poison, potio, originally meant “drink,” before the word became associated with substances that can kill or injure.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does poison come from?
The English word entered through Old French poison, ultimately from Latin pōtiō, a term meaning “drink” that came to refer especially to a medicinal or harmful drink. The English form appeared in the late Middle English period. Its Latin relatives include potion, potable, and intoxication, while pot also reflects the shared ancestry of the word for drinking vessels.
Related word forms
How poison is actually used
In its literal sense, poison is generally neutral and factual, although it often implies danger or deliberate wrongdoing. Venom is more specifically associated with animals, while toxin usually refers to a poisonous biological substance. As a verb, poison can suggest deliberate poisoning, but it can also mean accidental contamination.
Easily confused with poison
A poison is any harmful substance, whereas a toxin is specifically a poisonous substance produced by a living organism.
A poison may be delivered in many ways, while venom is specifically the poisonous substance produced by an animal and typically introduced by a bite or sting.