cocaine

American  

[koh-keyn, koh-keyn] / koʊˈkeɪn, ˈkoʊ keɪn /

noun

Pharmacology.

1. a bitter, crystalline alkaloid, C 17 H 21 NO 4 , obtained from coca leaves, used as a local anesthetic and also widely used as an illicit drug for its stimulant and euphorigenic properties.

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cocaine British  

/ kəˈkeɪn /

noun

1. an addictive narcotic drug derived from coca leaves or synthesized, used medicinally as a topical anaesthetic. Formula: C 17 H 21 NO 4

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cocaine Scientific  

/ kō-kān′ /

1. A colorless or white crystalline alkaloid extracted from coca leaves. Cocaine is sometimes used in medicine as a local anesthetic, especially for the eyes, nose, or throat. It is also widely used as an illicit drug for its euphoric and stimulating effects. Chemical formula: C ₁₇ H ₂₁ NO ₄ .

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cocaine Cultural  

1. A drug derived from the leaves of a shrub in South America that has an intoxicating effect on the body and can result in dependency if frequently used. Cocaine is used medically as a local anesthetic.

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Discover More

Cocaine use constitutes a major drug problem in the United States.

Etymology

Origin of cocaine

First recorded in 1870–75; coca + -ine ¹

Example Sentences

But Paul Gootenberg, a professor at Stony Brook University and author of “Andean Cocaine: The Making of a Global Drug,” characterized Trump’s military operation as a “simplistic” approach to complex social problems.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 6, 2025

"Half a tonne of gold was worth £7m or £8m," writer Iain F Macleod tells new BBC Alba three-part documentary Cocaine and the Klondykers.

From BBC • Feb. 18, 2025

“I have to say, I can’t wait to see Pence debating Donald Trump. It’s going to be like Elmo versus Cocaine Bear.”

From New York Times • Mar. 15, 2023

Kentucky for Kentucky, with its unconventional approach to promoting the commonwealth, has been cashing in on Cocaine Bear’s likeness years before Hollywood brought it to the big screen.

From Washington Post • Mar. 2, 2023

"Cocaine Bear" would have benefitted from being more over-the-top or campy, but Banks plays things mostly at face value, which is why the laughs and scares are so flat.

From Salon • Feb. 24, 2023

Related Words

• coke
• crack
• dope
• poison
• stimulant