narc
1 Americannoun
verb (used without object)
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to inform on someone to the police or a narcotics officer for possession, sale, etc., of illicit drugs (usually used withon ).
It figures he’d narc on me to the cops as soon as he saw my stash.
Who narced?
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to inform on someone to an authority (usually used withon ).
I've narced on drivers I see throwing litter out their windows.
verb phrase
noun
Usage
What does narc- mean? Narco- is a combining form used like a prefix referring to narcosis and narcotics. Narcosis is a state of stupor or drowsiness, especially as induced by narcotics. Narcotics include drugs such as opiates, heroin, marijuana, and alcohol. Narc- is often used in a few medical and scientific terms, including in pathology and psychiatry. Narc- comes from the Greek nárkē, meaning “numbness, stiffness.”Note that narc and narco are slang for a government agent or detective charged with the enforcement of laws restricting the use of narcotics. Both narco and narc are shortened from narcotic, which as you may have guessed, also comes from the Greek nárkē. Narc is sometimes spelled as nark and, while the two terms somewhat overlap in slang sense, nark as slang for “informer” comes from a completely different origin than narcotic. Discover its surprising source at our entry for nark. Narc- is a variant of narco-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Narco- is also used to refer to various aspects of the trade of illegal drugs trade, i.e., narcotics. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use narco- article.
Etymology
Origin of narc
An Americanism dating back to 1965–70; shortening of narcotic
Explanation
A police detective who enforces drug laws is called a narc. Narcs often work in airports with dogs specially trained to smell various illegal drugs. The word narc is slang shorthand for "narcotics agent," a federal agent or police officer who specializes in laws dealing with illegal drugs. Narc is sometimes also used to mean "police informant," someone who secretly gives inside information to the police, informing on others who are engaging in illegal activity. This second meaning is more often spelled "nark."
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.
My ethical question is: Should I narc and tell the facility that my relative is not vaccinated?
From New York Times • Aug. 3, 2021
Being a poser doesn’t make me a narc.
From Washington Post • Apr. 15, 2020
Anyone who hates court-rushing is a narc, and that's all you should ever say if someone tries to argue otherwise.
From Golf Digest • Feb. 24, 2020
Teens can sense a narc in their midst from a mile away.
From The Guardian • Aug. 22, 2019
“I don’t get it. Are you threatening us? If you’re going to narc on us, go ahead and tell the Director. It’s not like I can do anything to stop you.”
From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed
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.
