antivenom

[ an-tee-ven-uhm, an-tahy- ]

noun

1. an antitoxin present in the blood of an animal following repeated injections of venom.
2. the antitoxic serum obtained from such blood.

Word History and Origins

Origin of antivenom¹

First recorded in 1890–95; earlier antiven(ene) ( anti- + venene ( def ) ), from Latin venēnum “potion, poison” ( venom ) + -in ²

Example Sentences

They speed up the immune system’s clearance of toxins, because antivenoms are, themselves, antibodies pulled from the blood of large animals, usually horses, that have been injected with venom.

From Science News

This reaction to the antivenom itself can be life-threatening if not treated promptly.

From Science News

Effective snakebite treatments do exist, and those antivenoms are considered the “gold standard” of care.

From Science News

If a victim receives the right antivenom soon after a bite — within an hour or two — then the chances of survival are “very, very high,” says Nicholas Casewell, a biomedical scientist at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in England.

From Science News

A “better safe than sorry” approach may seem warranted, but injecting antivenom when it’s not needed or if it’s the wrong kind can put the patient at even greater risk.

From Science News