Definition

A medicine used to treat the effects of venom from snake bites or other poisonous creatures by neutralizing the venom in the body.

Example

The doctor administered antivenom to the patient who had been bitten by a snake.

Conversation

Did you hear about that guy who got bitten by a snake?

Yeah, I saw it on the news; they had to give him antivenom.

I can’t believe how dangerous it is to hike in those areas.

Right? It's good they have antivenom available for emergencies.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Antivenom is formed from "anti-" (meaning against) and "venenum" (meaning poison in Latin). The word describes a substance that works against or counteracts poison, particularly from snake bites or venomous creatures.

Memory Tip

Think of 'against' ('anti-') and 'poison' ('venenum') to remember that antivenom is a treatment that counteracts poison.

Visually Confused Words