marijuana
Americannoun
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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.
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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.
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any plant of the genus Cannabis, especially C. sativa, whose leaves and flowering tops have psychoactive properties.
several acres of cultivated marijuana.
noun
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Though the industry’s PAC is relatively new, filing its statement of organization in March, it’s already released ads praising Trump’s marijuana policy.
From Salon ● Jul. 25, 2026
He notes that in 2024 Elton John called marijuana legalization in the U.S. and Canada “one of the greatest mistakes of all time.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
There is not enough evidence to confirm that secondhand marijuana smoke increases lung cancer risk.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 10, 2026
During oral argument in that case, Justice Antonin Scalia was aghast that anyone would think public school students have a right to advocate for legal marijuana.
From Slate ● Jun. 18, 2026
A White House official told Barron’s the administration was working to implement President Donald Trump’s executive order from December, which directed regulators to reschedule marijuana “in the most expeditious manner.”
From Barron's ● Apr. 22, 2026
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.
