# venom

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈvɛnəm/ · frequency rank #13,635

## Definitions
1. An animal toxin intended for defensive or offensive use; a biological poison delivered by bite, sting, etc., to protect an animal or to kill its prey.
2. Feeling or speech marked by spite or malice; vitriol.

## Etymology
From Middle English venym, from Old French venim, from Vulgar Latin *venīmen, from Early Medieval Latin venīnum, from Classical Latin venēnum (“drug; poison; a charm”), ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European *wenh₁- (“to love”). Doublet of venin and venene.

## Easily confused with
- **vom** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/venom-vs-vom)
- **vent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/venom-vs-vent)
- **veto** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/venom-vs-veto)
- **vino** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/venom-vs-vino)
- **venue** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/venom-vs-venue)
- **Venus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/venom-vs-venus)
- **vroom** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/venom-vs-vroom)
- **Vinod** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/venom-vs-vinod)
- **Vernon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/venom-vs-vernon)
- **venous** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/venom-vs-venous)
- **Venn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/venn-vs-venom)
- **vendor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/vendor-vs-venom)

## Common misspellings (7)
`evnom`, `venmo`, `vennom`, `venomm`, `veonm`, `vneom`, `vvenom`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/venom