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venomous

ven·om·ous/ˈvɛnəməs/adjective

venomous is spelled V-E-N-O-M-O-U-S: 8 letters and 3 syllables (ven·om·ous). It appears 1.2 times per million words in written English, the 26,092nd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, venomous means “Of an animal (specifically a snake) or parts of its body: producing venom (“a toxin intended for defensive or offensive use”) which is usually…” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).

How many letters and syllables are in venomous?

Letters8: V-E-N-O-M-O-U-S
Syllables3: ven·om·ous
In writing1.2 times per million words; the 26,092nd most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searchednone measured in search

Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How common is venomous?

Venomous appears 1.2 times per million words in written English, the 26,092nd most frequent word form in the list.

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How do you pronounce venomous?

  • US /ˈvɛnəməs/

Venomous has 3 syllables, split ven·om·ous in writing.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-venomous.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

Forms of venomous

  • more venomous comparative
  • most venomous superlative
  • venemous

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What does venomous mean?

The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).

adjective

  1. 1

    Of an animal (specifically a snake) or parts of its body: producing venom (“a toxin intended for defensive or offensive use”) which is usually injected into an enemy or prey by biting or stinging; hence, of a bite or sting: injecting venom.

    Do venomous spiders have glands?

  2. 2

    Of or pertaining to venom.

  3. 3

    archaicConsisting of, or containing or full of, venom or some other poison; hence, harmful to health due to this.

    The villain tricked him into drinking the venomous concoction.

  4. 4

    Posing a threat; dangerous, threatening.

  5. 5

    Hateful; malignant; spiteful.

    His attitude toward me is utterly venomous.

  6. 6

    obsoleteOf a weapon such as an arrow or dart: dosed with venom or poison; envenomed, poisoned.

  7. 7

    obsoleteHarmful, hurtful, injurious; specifically, morally or spiritually harmful; evil, noxious, pernicious.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

Venomous in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

LanguageWords
Frenchvénéneux, venimeux (of an animal or parts of its body: producing…), malveillant (hateful; malignant; spiteful – see also…)
Germangiftig (of an animal or parts of its body: producing…)
Portuguesepeçonhento, venenoso (of an animal or parts of its body: producing…)
Spanishvenenoso (of an animal or parts of its body: producing…), maléfico (hateful; malignant; spiteful – see also…)

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.

Where does venomous come from?

From Middle English venymous, from Old French venimos, composed of venim (“venom”) + -os (adjective-forming suffix). Synchronically analysable as venom + -ous. Compare Modern French venimeux. Piecewise doublet of venenous.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What to look up after venomous