marijuana

American  

[mar-uh-wah-nuh] / ˌmær əˈwɑ nə /

Sometimes marihuana

noun

1. a psychoactive narcotic drug rendered from the leaves and flowering tops of a cannabis plant, especially Cannabis sativa, used for recreational or medical purposes by smoking, vaping, or ingesting.

   He’s tried marijuana but claims it has no effect on him.

2. the dried leaves and flowering tops from which the drug is rendered.

   Her personal stash of marijuana is rarely more than an ounce or two.

3. any plant of the genus Cannabis, especially C. sativa, whose leaves and flowering tops have psychoactive properties.

   several acres of cultivated marijuana.

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marijuana British  

/ ˌmærɪˈhwɑːnə /

noun

1. the dried leaves and flowers of the hemp plant, used for its euphoric effects, esp in the form of cigarettes See also cannabis

2. another name for hemp

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Etymology

Origin of marijuana

An Americanism dating back to 1890–95; from Mexican Spanish marihuana, mariguana; the traditional association with the personal name María Juana is probably a folk etymology

Explanation

Marijuana is a commonly used illegal drug made from dried leaves of the hemp plant. Smoking marijuana creates a high. Marijuana is a drug that is mostly smoked — in a joint, a bowl, a bong, or other device — but sometimes it can be eaten. Marijuana is illegal, but it is considered a "soft drug" — as opposed to hard drugs like heroin or cocaine, which are killers. People call marijuana "pot" and "weed" and a hundred other slang terms. There's also medical marijuana, which sick people, especially cancer patients, can get to relieve their pain.

Example Sentences

Senior Trump administration officials told reporters on Thursday that Trump’s primary goal with his rescheduling order is to boost research into medical marijuana and cannabidiol products so that patients and doctors are better informed.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 18, 2025

McConnell, who championed hemp back in 2018, has since argued in favor of closing what he has called a loophole that allows psychoactive products to be marketed as legal alternatives to marijuana.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 12, 2025

The small South American country has a long history of passing socially liberal laws, legalizing marijuana, same-sex marriage and abortion long before most others.

From Barron's • Oct. 16, 2025

I don’t intend this column to be either a jeremiad or a lambasting of marijuana.

From Salon • Dec. 31, 2024

But in fact, Trulieve—which won Florida’s first medical marijuana license in 2015—had ties to Tallahassee Republicans when DeSantis was a congressional backbencher.

From Slate • Nov. 1, 2024

Related Words

• bhang
• cannabis
• dope
• hashish
• hemp
• herb
• tea