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
- cannabic adjective
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.
A White House official said the Trump administration continues to carry out an executive order, signed by President Donald Trump in December, aimed at reclassifying cannabis and expanding medical research.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026
Myfanwy Graham has also received funding from the Therapeutic Goods Administration for independent evidence reviews on medicinal cannabis.
From Science Daily • Mar. 20, 2026
The 59-year-old millionaire heir to a family construction fortune -- who championed the decriminalisation of cannabis in Thailand -- was first elected prime minister in September.
From Barron's • Mar. 18, 2026
“The city finds itself with a unique opportunity to bring businesses into compliance and, at the same time, properly fund cannabis industry-centric programming,” City Councilmember Imelda Padilla said during Tuesday’s meeting.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 4, 2026
The following have been made up in this form: aconite, belladonna, camph. co., cannabis indica, capsicum, cinchon. co., and cinchon. simpl., digitalis, gelseminum, hyosciamus, nux vomica, opium, strophanthus, ginger and Warburg.
From Alcohol: A Dangerous and Unnecessary Medicine, How and Why What Medical Writers Say by Allen, Martha Meir
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.
