Junkie
/ˈdʒʌŋki/noun
A person who is addicted to narcotics or intensely devoted to something.
Did you know?The word is first recorded in American slang in the early 20th century, and its exact origin is uncertain, but it likely formed from junk meaning worthless stuff, later becoming a label for compulsive drug use.
Etymological Timeline
Late Middle English
English
junk
“Old slang for something useless, worn-out, or inferior”
Early 20th Century
English
junkie
“A person habitually using narcotics, especially one dependent on heroin or morphine”
1930s
English
junkie
“Widespread American slang for a drug addict”
Modern English
English
junkie
“A person addicted to a drug, or intensely devoted to an activity or interest”