noun
strychnine
STRIHK-neen
noun
1
A highly poisonous, bitter crystalline compound extracted from certain plant seeds, historically used to kill rodents.
"The detective suspected strychnine poisoning after finding traces in the victim’s tea."
How to Use Strychnine
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA deadly poison originally derived from plants, once common in mystery fiction and as a pesticide.
Common pairings
strychnine poisoning
traces of strychnine
Word Forms
strychnines plural
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Etymology
From French strychnine, ultimately from Ancient Greek strykhnos, a name for a type of nightshade plant.