THC

American

[tee-eych-see] / ˈtiˈeɪtʃˈsi /

abbreviation

Pharmacology.

tetrahydrocannabinol: the primary psychoactive component in marijuana, hashish, and other preparations derived from cannabis plants, especially Cannabis sativa, or produced synthetically.

Marijuana potency in these dispensaries is anywhere from 15 to 30 percent THC.

THC British

abbreviation

tetrahydrocannabidinol: the active ingredient in cannabis, giving it its narcotic and psychoactive effects

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of THC

First recorded in 1965–70

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.

The amendment rewrote the federal definition of hemp in a way that limits THC drinks and other hemp-derived products to contain significantly lower levels of THC.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026

Cancer cells treated with either CBD or THC formed fewer colonies, and those colonies were smaller than usual.

From Science Daily • Dec. 15, 2025

Infinite developed a test to detect artificial THC, a tool that could encourage compliance with regulations that prohibit the synthetic compound.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 19, 2024

A 2024 case study published in Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology found that a combination of CBD and THC improved one dog’s lupus symptoms.

From Slate • Aug. 11, 2024

The THC program worked about 30 times faster than it would have done using the standard algorithm.

From Underground by Dreyfus, Suelette

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023