poisonous substance
1
4.4
- noun
- /ˈpɔɪzənəs ˈsʌbstəns/
:
sustancia venenosa
- Tell her you should never put poisonous substances in unmarked bottles.
Examples
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If you suspect your child has swallowed a poisonous substance, you should seek medical help immediately.
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Contact your local veterinarian if you suspect your pet has ingested a poisonous substance.
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Uncle Julius told us that there used to be so many poisonous substances.
Fiction book (1998) -
But the fact is that it is one of the most poisonous substances and the most dangerous acids known.
Blog text (22) -
It is therefore conceivable that the stimulus in locomotor rate is enhancing escape or avoidance of a potentially poisonous substance.
Academic text (2017) -
Pesticides are often considered a poisonous substance that can cause health issues if consumed improperly.
Synonyms
367
2.1
A substance that makes people, animals, or plants very ill and can cause death
140
5.3
A poisonous substance that some animals, plants, or bacteria make
4
3.5
A poisonous substance that can kill or harm living things
1
9.5
A poisonous substance that can harm people and animals
How Toxic
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and compositionally derived from the adjective 'poisonous' (able to poison) modifying the noun 'substance' (matter/material), so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer 'a substance that can cause harm or death'. This ADJ + NOUN composition is a common, transparent pattern cross-linguistically and follows standard English semantics.
Etymology
The compound poisonous substance comes from a simple image: poisonous means 'full of poison' and substance means a material. So it describes something that can 'cause illness' or 'kill' if eaten, touched, or breathed.