Agency Dictionary
Poison
nounPronunciation: /ˈpɔɪ.zən/
In Portuguese: Veneno
Science & HealthWhat does “Poison” mean?
A substance that causes death or severe physical harm when introduced into or absorbed by a living organism.
Etymology
From Middle English poysoun, from Old French poison (a drink, a draught), from Latin pōtiōnem (accusative of pōtiō, a drink or draught), from pōtō (to drink). The word shares its Latin origin with potion and potable. The shift from the neutral sense of a drink to the sense of a harmful substance occurred in Old French.
Usage note
Venom is a specific kind of poison produced by an animal and delivered through a bite or sting; poison is the broader term for any harmful substance absorbed by the body.
Synonyms
- toxin
- venom
- bane
Often confused with
- venom
- Venom is a poison actively injected by an animal through a bite or sting; poison is any substance harmful when absorbed, regardless of how it enters the body.
Word family
- poisonous
- poisoner
- poisoning
- poisonously
Usage examples
He argued that everything is poison and nothing is without poison, and that only the dose separates the two.
Concepts
- Paracelsian PrincipleThe Paracelsian principle is the foundational toxicological maxim asserting that all substances are poisonous and that only the dose differentiates a poison from a…
- PharmakonPharmakon is an ancient Greek philosophical concept denoting a substance or medium that acts simultaneously as both a cure and a poison. It highlights the irreducible…
- PharmakosA pharmakos was a human scapegoat in ancient Greek civic religion ritually expelled or sacrificed to cleanse a community of disaster or pestilence. The practice embodied…
- Therapeutic IndexThe therapeutic index is a quantitative pharmacological ratio that compares the lethal or toxic dose of a drug to its therapeutically effective dose. It serves as a vital…
Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
Words of the same theme
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- Decompositionnoun
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- eppur si muoveother
- An Italian phrase meaning and yet it moves. It is used to affirm that a fact remains true no matter who denies it.
- Pollinationnoun
- The transfer of pollen grains from the male anther to the female stigma of a flower, enabling fertilization and seed production.
- Regenerativeadjective
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- syntheticadjective
- Produced by artificial or chemical synthesis rather than originating from natural or organic processes.
- Anesthetizeverb
- To administer an anesthetic to eliminate physical feeling, or figuratively to numb emotional or critical awareness.
- Biomenoun
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- caffeinenoun
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- cannabisnoun
- A genus of flowering plants cultivated for industrial fiber, wellness oils, and medicinal applications.
- catalystnoun
- A substance or factor that accelerates a chemical reaction or stimulates widespread systemic change without being consumed.
Also from these editions: terms
- Alchemistnoun
- A practitioner of alchemy, seeking to transmute base metals into noble elements and discover a universal cure.
- Ambiguitynoun
- The quality of being open to more than one interpretation; inexactness or uncertainty of meaning.
- Bombasticadjective
- High-sounding, pompous, or inflated in speech or style with little genuine substance or humility.
- Decorumnoun
- Behavior in keeping with good taste, propriety, and established standards of dignity.
- Demagoguenoun
- A political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular desires and prejudices rather than rational argument.
- Elixirnoun
- A magical or medicinal potion believed capable of curing illnesses or conferring exceptional vitality.
- Epiphanynoun
- A moment of sudden and profound intuitive comprehension, clarity, or essential insight.
- Placebonoun
- A medically ineffectual treatment or substance designed to deceive the recipient, often used as a control in scientific trials.
- Potionnoun
- A liquid concoction endowed with purported medicinal, magical, toxic, or transformative powers.
- Remedynoun
- A medicine, treatment, or therapy that cures a disease, relieves physical suffering, or rectifies a systemic flaw.
- Technocratnoun
- An exponent of technocracy, or an expert whose authority derives from technical or managerial proficiency rather than democratic mandate.
Also from these editions: concepts
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- ParacelsusParacelsus was a Swiss physician and alchemist of the sixteenth century, known for the maxim that the dose makes the poison. Issue.26, the edition about pharmakon…
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- Myth of TheuthThe myth of Theuth is a philosophical allegory recounted by Plato in the Phaedrus concerning the divine invention and human reception of the written word. It presents…