German word

vergiften

Pronunciation

IPA/fɛɐ̯ˈgɪftn̩/

Meaning

  • verbpoison

Example

Das Wasser vergiftet die Fische.

The water poisons the fish.

Illustration for vergiften (poison)

More examples

Der Attentäter versuchte, den Politiker zu vergiften.

The assassin attempted to poison the politician.

Core concept

A harmful substance spreads through a body, resource, or relationship and damages its normal function.

Common phrases

  • mit Arsen vergiften

    poison with arsenic

  • jemanden heimlich vergiften

    poison someone secretly

  • Pflanzen vergiften

    poison plants

Similar words

verseuchen: Contaminate land or water with harmful substances, endangering many living things.
verunreinigen: Make something impure or unclean by adding dirt or other unwanted matter.
kontaminieren: Introduce foreign matter or chemicals into something, making it unsafe or impure.
schädigen: Damage health or impair the normal functioning of something.

Definition in German

durch Gift jemanden oder etwas schädigen oder töten; übertragen auch eine Stimmung oder Beziehung schädigen

Word origin

Vergiften combines the noun Gift, meaning poison, with the verb-forming prefix ver- to express causing something to become poisoned.

Usage tips

  • Vergiften is transitive, so the poisoned person or thing is the accusative object, as in Das Wasser vergiftet die Fische.

Opposites

  • entgiftendetoxicateverb

Related words

  • Vergifterpoisonernoun
  • vergiftbarsusceptible to poisoningadjective
  • Vergiftungpoisoningnoun

Word lists with this word