# poisonous

Pronunciation: say "POY-zuh-nuhs" /ˈpɔɪzənəs/

## Adjective

1. Containing enough poison to be dangerous to touch or swallow.
   - Simple: Able to harm or kill you if you touch it or eat it.
   - _Many household cleaners are poisonous if swallowed._
   - _The plant's leaves are poisonous and can irritate the skin on contact._
2. Of an animal or its bite or sting: producing a toxin that is injected into prey or an attacker by biting or stinging.
   - Simple: Able to make poison and put it into another animal by biting or stinging.
   - _The region is home to several poisonous snakes whose bites require immediate treatment._
   - _A poisonous sting from the scorpion left her arm swollen for days._
3. Harmful and deeply negative in effect, especially on people, relationships, or the surrounding mood.
   - Simple: Very harmful to people's feelings, health, or relationships.
   - _The team's poisonous atmosphere drove away several talented members._
   - _He finally left the poisonous relationship after years of feeling worthless._

## Origin

From Middle English poisounous (also poysonouse). By surface analysis, it is poison plus the suffix -ous.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/poisonous (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).