Poison and Potion Are the Same Word
Poison is a harmful substance. It comes from the Latin for a drink, and so does potion.
Poison is a substance causing harm or death. The Latin *potionem* means a drink, and English took the same word twice: through French as *poison* and directly from Latin as *potion*. The narrowing happened because a *poisonous drink* was the commonest way of administering one, and the adjective eventually swallowed the noun.
- A harmful substance. *Rat poison.*
- To administer poison. *The well was poisoned.*
- To corrupt. *Poisoned the atmosphere.*
- Potion — the same word, meaning a drink. *A magic potion.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | poison | A slow poison. |
| Plural | poisons | Household poisons. |
| Verb | poison | Poison the supply. |
| Adjective | poisonous | A poisonous plant. |
| Related | potion | A sleeping potion. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Poison and potion are the same word.Latin *potionem*, a drink.
- Poisonous and venomous differ.See below.
- The dose makes the poison.Paracelsus.
Poisonous, venomous, toxic
- Poisonous — harmful if eaten or touched
- Venomous — injecting venom by bite or sting
- Toxic — the general term for harmful substances
- Toxin — a poison produced by a living organism
- Rule of thumb — if it bites you and you die it is venomous; if you bite it and you die it is poisonous
From Old French *poison*, a drink or potion, from Latin *potionem*, from *potare*, to drink.
Poisonous or venomous?
Venomous animals inject venom actively. Poisonous ones harm when eaten or touched. Snakes are venomous; some frogs are poisonous.
Are poison and potion related?
Yes, and identically so. Both come from the Latin word for a drink, arriving in English by different routes.