Venom vs Poison
There is a difference between venom and poison. Wait, what? Venom and poison! Are not they supposed to be one and the same thing? As far as the common perception is concerned, venom and poison are synonyms but the reality is that they are different from one another despite having many similarities. This article will explain these differences by highlighting the features of venom and poison so as to remove any doubts in the minds of the readers. As words, venom is only used as a noun while poison is used a noun as well as a verb. Interestingly, both venom and poison have their origins in Middle English.
What does Venom mean?
On the other hand, venom is non-toxic if swallowed but becomes toxic when injected under the skin by venomous creatures like snakes and spiders. This venom then goes inside the tissues of the body that are normally protected by the skin and this is why a snake bite is considered to be harmful.
The dichotomy of poisonous and venomous is helpful in understanding the difference between venom and poison. There are organisms that are venomous and there are organisms that are poisonous. Why this dichotomy? The answer lies in the effect of their toxins on human beings. It is animals that are called venomous as they only can inject or administer the toxin in human bodies that is harmful. Venom is produced and is contained in special organs used by the organism for this very purpose.
What does Poison mean?
Poison is a substance that is a toxin and causes harm when eaten, inhaled, or swallowed. Since there are a number of poisonous and venomous organisms let us see what is meant by poisonous organisms. It is the plants and animals that, when consumed and are harmful to us, are referred to as poisonous. Poison is a toxin that is produced in a large part of the body of the organism that contains it.
Other than this basic meaning as a word in English language the word poison has other meanings as well. In the informal context, when someone asks “what’s you poison?” it simply means what do you like to drink.
What is the difference between Venom and Poison?
• Venom and poison are similar meaning words, but both are different from each other.
• Poison is a toxin that can harm us when swallowed or inhaled while a venom turns into a toxic substance only when it is injected or administered into our bodies by animals like snakes and spiders.
• Poison is a toxin that is produced in a large part of the body of the organism that contains it while venom is produced and is contained in special organs used by the organism for this very purpose.
• Venom, because it is injected into the bloodstream directly through a bite or a sting has a much faster action than a poison that has to be eaten or swallowed and thus slowly reaches the bloodstream.