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Origin and history of venom

venom(n.)

mid-13c., venim, venin, venym, "poison secreted by some animals and transferred by biting," from Anglo-French and Old French venim, venin "poison; malice," from Vulgar Latin *venimen (source also of Italian veleno, Spanish veneno) and directly from Latin venenum "poison," earlier (pre-classical) "drug, medical potion," also "charm, seduction," probably originally "love potion" (from PIE *wenes-no-, from root *wen- (1) "to desire, strive for;" source also of Venus).

Variously deformed in post-Latin languages, apparently mostly by dissimilation. The modern spelling in English from late 14c. The figurative meaning "bitter, virulent feeling or language" is attested in English from c. 1300.

also from mid-13c.

Entries linking to venom

Venus

late Old English, from Latin Venus (plural veneres), in ancient Roman mythology the goddess of beauty and love, especially sensual love; from venus "love, sexual desire; loveliness, beauty, charm; a beloved object" (from PIE root *wen- (1) "to desire, strive for").

Applied by the Romans to Greek Aphrodite, Egyptian Hathor, etc. Applied by 1570s in English to any beautiful, attractive woman. As "statue or image of Venus," by 1560s; in reference to paleolithic female figurines with exaggerated features by 1912.

As the name of the most brilliant planet, attested from late 13c., from this sense in Latin (Old English called it morgensteorra and æfensteorra).

antivenin(n.)

"antivenom," 1894, from anti- + venin, from venom + chemical suffix -in (2). Perhaps immediately from French antivenin.

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mushroom
a word applied at first to almost any of the larger fungi but later to the agaricoid fungi and especially the edible varieties, mid-15c., muscheron, musseroun (attested 1327 as a surname, John Mussheron), from Anglo-French musherun, Old French meisseron (11c., Modern French mouss
pharmacy
late 14c., farmacie, "a medicine that rids the body of an excess of humors (except blood);" also "treatment with medicine; theory of treatment with medicine," from Old French farmacie "a purgative" (13c.) and directly from Medieval Latin pharmacia, from Greek pharmakeia "a healin
venomous
"full of venom, noxious or hurtful by means of venom," c. 1300, from Anglo-French venimeus, Old French venimos (12c., Modern French venimeux), from venim (see venom). Earliest recorded use is figurative; literal sense by early 14c. Biologists have tended to preserve a distinction
basil
Latin, the word was confused with basiliscus (see basilisk) because it was supposed to be an antidote to the basilisk's venom...
fang
Transferred to the venom tooth of a serpent, etc., by 1800....
incorrigible
mid-14c., "incurable (of diseases, venom, etc.); extravagant (of expense); implacable (of hearts)," from Old French incorrigible...
attercop
"spider," Middle English atter-coppe, from Old English atorcoppe "spider," literally "poison-head," from ator "poison, venom...
malignity
late 14c., malignite, "extreme enmity or evil disposition toward another, deep-rooted spite," from Old French maligneté, from Latin malignitas "ill-will, spite," from malignus "mean, unkind," from male "badly" (see mal-) + -gnus "born," from gignere "to bear, beget," from PIE roo
malice
c. 1300, "desire to hurt another, propensity to inflict injury or suffering, active ill-will," from Old French malice "ill will, spite, sinfulness, wickedness" (12c.), from Latin malitia "badness, ill will, spite," from malus "bad, unpleasant" (see mal-). In legal use, "a design
spite
c. 1300, "feeling or attitude of contempt, insolent disdain;" also "a humiliation, act of insult or ridicule; a shortened form of despit "malice" (see despite (n.)). Corresponding to Middle Dutch spijt, Middle Low German spyt, Middle Swedish spit. In 17c. commonly spelled spight.

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