cannabis
Americannoun
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a plant of the genus Cannabis, most notably hemp, C. sativa .
They live where the cannabis grows wild, like an aggressive weed.
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any of the various parts of the plant, especially the leaves and flowering tops of C. sativa , from which hashish, marijuana, bhang, and similar mildly euphorigenic and hallucinogenic drugs are prepared.
The legality of possessing cannabis varies state by state.
noun
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the hemp plant, esp Indian hemp ( Cannabis indica ) See hemp
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the drug obtained from the dried leaves and flowers of the hemp plant, which is smoked or chewed for its psychoactive properties. It produces euphoria and relaxation; repeated use may lead to psychological dependence See also cannabin hashish marijuana bhang
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of cannabis
First recorded in 1790–1800; from New Latin, from Latin: literally, “hemp,” from Greek kánnabis; see origin at hemp
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This includes a charge or summons, a caution, the offender dying, a penalty notice or cannabis warning being issued, a community resolution or where the offence is taken into account with other crimes.
From BBC • Jun. 18, 2026
In 2021, they followed the crowd into a bubble that burst in small tech, SPACs and cannabis stocks.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
However, Smita Das, MD, PhD, clinical associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford Medicine, said there is still no broad medical agreement that cannabis effectively treats these conditions.
From Science Daily • May 15, 2026
A nonprofit advocacy group, Social Equity LA, organized with local cannabis business owners to oppose the measure in letters to Mayor Karen Bass.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
The Greek κάνναβις, and Latin cannabis, are both identical with the Sanscrit kanam, as well as with the German hanf, and the English hemp.
From The plant-lore & garden-craft of Shakespeare by Ellacombe, Henry Nicholson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
