French word

poison

Pronunciation

IPA/pwazɔ̃/

Meaning

  • masculine nounpoison

Example

Attention, c'est du poison.

Careful, it's poison.

Illustration for poison (poison)

More examples

Il a avalé du poison sans le savoir.

He swallowed poison without knowing it.

Core concept

A substance whose entry into the body can cause illness or death, even in a small amount.

Common phrases

  • boire du poison

    drink poison

  • poison mortel

    deadly poison

  • poison de serpent

    snake venom

Similar words

venin: A harmful substance made by an animal and delivered through a bite or sting.
toxine: A harmful chemical produced by a living organism that can damage the body.

Definition in French

Substance qui, même en petite quantité, nuit à la santé ou peut provoquer la mort lorsqu'elle est ingérée, inhalée ou absorbée par l'organisme.

Word origin

French inherited poison from Old French poison, itself derived from Latin potio for a drink or potion, with the harmful meaning emerging through later semantic change.

Usage tips

  • Poison is the broad term for a harmful substance, whereas venin usually refers to animal venom delivered by a bite or sting.

Opposites

  • antidoteantidotenoun

Related words

Word lists with this word