Hallucinogen
/həˈluːsɪnədʒən/noun
A substance that causes hallucinations.
Did you know?Hallucinogen is a modern scientific formation from Latin hallucinari, meaning “to wander in mind” or “be mistaken,” so the word’s oldest core idea is mental wandering, not chemicals.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
hallucinari
“to wander in mind, be mistaken, dream”
Late Latin
Latin
hallucinatio
“a wandering of the mind; error”
19th Century
French/English
hallucination
“a sensory perception without external stimulus”
20th Century
English
hallucinogen
“a substance that produces hallucinations”