Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “poisoner” come from?

Poisoner comes from English poison plus the agent suffix -er, deriving ultimately from Old French poison (a drink or potion) via Latin pōtiō and pōtiōnem, related to the Proto-Indo-European root peh₃- meaning to drink or sip.

poisoner (English): A person who poisons something or someone

Definitions

  1. A person who poisons something or someone

Ancestry of “poisoner”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpoisonA substance that is harmful or lethal to a living...
2Middle Englishpoysoun—
3Old Frenchpoisonpoison; potion
4Latinpōtiō—
5Latin-tiō—
6Latindissertātiō—
7Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
8Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
9Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
10Latincalceusshoe
11Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
12Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →