Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Venomous

Ven′om-ous

,
Adj.
[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.
(Zool.)
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
(Zool.)
,
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′om-ous-ly
,
adv.
Ven′om-ous-ness
,
Noun.

Webster 1828 Edition


Venomous

VEN'OMOUS

, a.
1.
Poisonous; noxious to animal life; as, the bite of a serpent may be venomous. The sack at the base of the rattlesnake's teeth, contains venomous matter.
2.
Noxious; mischievous; malignant; as a venomous progeny.
3.
Spiteful; as a venomous writer.

Definition 2024


venomous

venomous

English

Adjective

venomous (comparative more venomous, superlative most venomous)

  1. Full of venom.
    The villain tricked him into drinking the venomous concoction.
  2. Toxic; poisonous.
  3. Noxious; evil.
  4. Malignant; spiteful; hateful.
    His attitude toward me is utterly venomous.
  5. Producing venom (poison usually injected into an enemy or prey by biting or stinging) in glands or accumulating venom from food.
    Do venomous spiders have glands?
  6. powerful
    • 2011 December 10, David Ornstein, “Arsenal 1 - 0 Everton”, in BBC Sport:
      Arsenal pressed forward again after half-time but other than a venomous Walcott shot that Howard repelled with a fine one-handed save, the hosts offered little cutting edge.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Translations

References

  • venomous” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, v1.0.1, Lexico Publishing Group, 2006.
  • venomous in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913