# venom... antivenin

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venom-antivenin/367831>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 8, 2006, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venom-antivenin/367831 "2006-08-08T07:45:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![filmyak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@filmyak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmyak)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2006, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venom-antivenin/367831/1 "2006-08-08T07:45:59Z")

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Why is the medicine given to victoms of venom called… antivenin?

Shouldn’t it be antivenom? I know antivenom is occasionally the term used, but from what I can tell, the correct term is antivenin, and frankly… it’s stupid.

Surely, there MUST be a reason, right?

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2006, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venom-antivenin/367831/2 "2006-08-08T08:06:31Z")

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Venom is a general term meaning poison.

Venin is a valid word, referring to one of the toxic substances found _in the venom_.

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**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2006, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venom-antivenin/367831/3 "2006-08-08T11:23:28Z")

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**Mangetout** has it right. Think of venins as being the active ingredients in the venom, as distinguished from liquid carrier, which is similar to saliva.