hemp
Americannoun
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Also called Indian hemp, marijuana. a tall, coarse plant, Cannabis sativa, that is native to Asia but naturalized or cultivated in many parts of the world and is the source of a valuable fiber as well as drugs such as marijuana and hashish.
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the tough fiber of this plant, used for making rope, coarse fabric, etc.
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any of various plants resembling hemp.
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any of various fibers similar to hemp.
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a narcotic drug, as marijuana or hashish, prepared from the hemp plant.
noun
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Also called: cannabis. marijuana. an annual strong-smelling Asian plant, Cannabis sativa , having tough fibres, deeply lobed leaves, and small greenish flowers: family Cannabidaeceae See also Indian hemp
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the fibre of this plant, used to make canvas, rope, etc
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any of several narcotic drugs obtained from some varieties of this plant, esp from Indian hemp See bhang cannabis hashish marijuana
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of hemp
First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English henep, hænep; cognate with Old High German hanaf, German Hanf, Greek kánnabis; further origin uncertain, perhaps from Scythian (Herodotus describes in book 4 the Scythian hemp-smoking ceremony) or Thracian; compare also Sumerian kunibu “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 November 2025 post documented some of the elements that would go into the property, including hemp blocks and old oyster shells.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 22, 2026
In the early 2000s, the company built its identity around niche progressive causes: hemp legalization, fair-trade certification, psychedelic therapy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026
Hempcrete, which is made from hemp and lime, is resistant to fire, pests and mould.
From BBC ● Mar. 16, 2026
Under emergency state regulations two years ago, California banned these specific hemp products and agents with the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control seized thousands of products statewide.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 4, 2026
Johnny could smell hemp and spices, tar and salt water, the sun drying fish.
From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes
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.
