1. A poison secreted by some animals, such as insects, spiders, or snakes, and transmitted by bites or stings.
2. Spite, malice.

From Middle English, venym, venim, venon, previously from Old French, venim (French venin), from Vulgar Latin, venimen, which was formed from Latin venenum, "a drug, potion" through the substitution of the suffix -imen for -enum. The Latin venenum originally meant "love potion". It is derived from venus, "love, sexual desire".