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

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

The December order did not come with a specific timeline, and it would not legalize marijuana.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

Were individuals in states where marijuana is legal on notice that they were committing a crime by owning a gun?

From Slate • Mar. 3, 2026

Another study in Social Science and Medicine in 2013 concluded that “immigrant youth have a lower risk of alcohol, tobacco and marijuana use relative to U.S.-born youth.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 4, 2025

The predicament those in the hemp business find themselves in is that they’re stuck between both the alcohol lobby and, perhaps counterintuitively, the state-level marijuana lobby.

From Salon • Nov. 25, 2025

Related Words

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