Final answer:
Synonyms for 'venomous' include toxic, poisonous, and noxious. Venom is a toxin delivered through a bite or sting, usually by snakes or spiders.
Step-by-step explanation:
When discussing the term venomous, synonyms that come to mind are toxic, poisonous, and noxious. These terms usually refer to animals, often snakes, spiders, or other creatures that have venom capable of causing painful injury or death to other organisms, including humans.
Venom is a specialized type of toxin that is actively delivered via a bite or sting.
The term poisonous, while often used interchangeably with venomous, technically refers to any substance that can cause harm when ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin. Thus, while all venomous creatures are poisonous, not all poisonous creatures are venomous.
For instance, certain plants and animals can be poisonous due to toxic substances they produce, which cause harm when they are consumed or come into contact with the skin, rather than being injected through a bite or sting.
In biology, the function of venom is primarily used for subduing prey rather than for self-defense. For example, a snake wrangler might showcase how venom flows from the fangs of a snake during a specific movement.
Furthermore, some non-venomous species of snakes have evolved to mimic the bright coloration of venomous ones as a survival tactic, which is an example of mimicry in nature.