Etymologically
Log in

venenosus

History Permalink

Etymology and origin of the Latin word venenosus

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
354–430 Augustine; Jerome More words from the 4th century
Ultimate origin
Latin venēnum
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin venēnum
Italian veleno
Romanian venin
Latin venēnōsus
Romanian veninos
Italian velenoso
From the same root
French poison ← venēnum
Latin venēficus ← venēnum
Latin venenatus ← venēnum
Latin venēnō ← venēnum
Romanian învenina ← venin

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [wɛ.neːˈnoː.sʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ve.neˈnɔː.s̬us][1]

Forms

venēnōsus (feminine venēnōsa, neuter venēnōsum); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin venēnum (“poison”) + -ōsus.[1][2] De Vaan derives venēnum from Proto-Italic *wenes-no-, a derivative of venus (“desire, love”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is a Late Latin word,[4][5] first found in Augustine, who speaks of a poisonous plant, and in Jerome.[2][4]

Semantic evolution

Augustine also uses it figuratively, of poisonous tongues.[2] Cassiodorus has the adverb venenose, very poisonously.[6]

Medieval writers in Britain applied it to venomous creatures and, figuratively, to envy, and to harmful diseases.[5] It is the source of Italian velenoso.[4]

Timeline

  • 354–430 AD – Augustine uses it of a poisonous plant and of poisonous tongues.[2][7]
  • c. 383–419/420 AD – Jerome uses it.[4][7]
  • c. 485–c. 580 AD – Cassiodorus has the adverb venenose.[6][7]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Full of poison, very poisonous; venomous.[6][2][5]
  2. (figurative) Malicious, poisonous.[2][5]
  3. (Medieval Latin) Of a disease: noxious, harmful.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c d Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  5. ^ a b c d e Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  6. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
Cite this entry

“Venenosus.” Etymologically, 13 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/la/venenosus. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·