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.
According to Prof. de Villiers, the discovery underscores how much remains to be learned about Cannabis.
From Science Daily • May 1, 2026
She says that due to these problems, she estimates that of the 160-plus licences of various categories granted by Jamaica's Cannabis Licensing Authority between 2017 and 2024, "very few" are still in operation.
From BBC • Jan. 26, 2026
When Housing Works Cannabis Co. opened nearly three years ago in Lower Manhattan, the line outside the dispensary—the first legal one in the state—wrapped around the block.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 14, 2025
Since collective protests at the Capitol couldn’t change the Legislature’s mind, the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association decided to file a legal complaint on the same day the budget passed.
From Slate • Oct. 17, 2025
This fiber has been identified as that of the Cannabis sativa, or wild hemp.
From Prehistoric Textile Art of Eastern United States Thirteenth Annual Report of the Beaurau of American Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution 1891-1892, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1896 pages 3-46 by Holmes, William Henry
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.
