poison English · revision 7943

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1200|origins=la potio}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈpɔɪ.zən/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English poisoun, [[bor|fro|poison|t=a drink, potion, poisonous drink]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from Latin [[m|la|potio|alt=pōtiō|t=a drinking, a drink; a poisonous drink]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from pōtāre, to drink,^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from PIE [[ine-pro|*peh₃-|alt=*po(i)-|t=to drink]].^(Etymonline) It is a doublet of [[potion]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A deadly substance or potion: probably about 1200 in Barnhart and Etymonline,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) about 1230 in the OED.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Word Origins notes that in early use it meant a drink or medicine, specifically a potion with a dangerous ingredient.^(Cresswell 2021) It was also figurative early, of spiritually corrupting ideas.^(Etymonline) A medicinal draught (1377) is an obsolete sense.^(OED 1989) Any substance that destroys life or injures health is from 1387.^(OED 1989)^(Hoad 1986) The verb, to kill with poison, is from about 1300 (before 1300 in ''Kyng Alisaunder''),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) and to corrupt from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline) Alcoholic drink, ''name your poison'', is colloquial and originally American from 1805.^(OED 1989) In chemistry, a substance that inhibits a catalyst is from 1913, and in nuclear science one that absorbs neutrons in a reactor from 1952.^(OED 1989)^(Collins 2023) The Old English words were ator and lybb.^(Etymonline) ''One man's meat is another man's poison'' was called an old moth-eaten proverb as early as 1604.^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1200 – a deadly potion.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1300 – the verb.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1387 – any toxic substance.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1805 – alcoholic drink (slang).^(OED 1989)

+ * 1913 – in chemistry.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A substance that causes illness, injury or death, especially by chemical action.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Something that destroys or corrupts: ''the poison of fascism''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A substance that slows a chemical reaction or a nuclear chain reaction.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To kill or harm with poison, or to put poison in.^(AHD)

+ # To [[pollute]].^(AHD)

+ # To have a harmful influence on; to [[corrupt]].^(AHD)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Poisonous: ''poison ivy''.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[poisoner]]

+ * [[poisonless]]

+ * [[poisonlessness]]

+ * [[outpoison]]

+ * [[lead poisoning]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[poisonous]]

+ * [[potion]]

+ * [[potable]]

+ * [[symposium]]

+ * [[venom]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}