- venom (n.)
- early 13c., from Anglo-French and Old French venim, from Vulgar Latin *venimen (cf. Italian veleno, Spanish veneno), from Latin venenum "poison," earlier (pre-classical) "drug, potion," probably originally "love potion," from PIE *wenes-no-, and thus connected to venus "erotic love" (see Venus), Sanskrit van- "wish, desire, gain." The meaning "bitter, virulent feeling or language" is first recorded c.1300.