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Vitriol vs Virulence - What's the difference?

vitriol | virulence |

As nouns the difference between vitriol and virulence

is that vitriol is sulphuric acid and various metal sulphates while virulence is the state of being virulent.

As a verb vitriol

is to subject someone to bitter verbal abuse.

vitriol

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • (dated) sulphuric acid and various metal sulphates
  • (by extension) bitterly abusive language
  • * 2012 November 2, Ken Belson, "[http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/03/sports/new-york-city-marathon-will-not-be-held-sunday.html?hp&_r=0]," New York Times (retrieved 2 November 2012):
    • For days, online forums sparked with outrage against politicians and race organizers, a tone that turned to vitriol against runners, even from some shaming other runners for being selfish.

    Derived terms

    * vitriolic * oil of vitriol * blue vitriol * green vitriol * hurl vitriol * iron vitriol * white vitriol

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • to subject someone to bitter verbal abuse

    • virulence

    English

    Noun

  • the state of being virulent
  • a measure of how virulent a thing is