nicotine
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of nicotine
From French, dating back to 1810–20; see origin at nicotiana, -ine 2
Explanation
Nicotine is a drug that's present in tobacco. People who are addicted to cigarettes are really hooked on nicotine. Nicotine is most commonly known for occurring in tobacco, and therefore in cigarettes. In small amounts, nicotine is a stimulant, although in larger quantities it's considered a poison and is even used in many insecticides. The earliest French root of the word was nicotiane, which comes from the Modern Latin botanical term for the tobacco plant, Nicotiana, named for Jean Nicot, the French ambassador who first brought tobacco from Brazil to France in 1561.
Vocabulary lists containing nicotine
Some Obscure Eponyms
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Class Matters
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The London Eye Mystery
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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.
Smokers who want to quit have the best chance of doing so if they use nicotine e-cigarettes, a review has found.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
Dr McKean said the new act was "an important step towards protecting children from nicotine addiction, but it must not be seen as a one-and-done solution".
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that GLP-1 medications were associated with lower risks of developing substance use disorders involving alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, cocaine, opioids, and other substances.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 3, 2026
“FDA’s regulatory treatment of nicotine pouches is rooted in recent evidence that has found that nicotine pouches can help adults quit smoking.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026
Thus, if nicotine sulphate is applied before rather than after the apple blossoms turn pink one of the important predators is spared, probably because it is still in the egg stage.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
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.
