Kif
/kɪf/noun
A preparation of cannabis, especially one traditionally associated with North Africa.
Did you know?The cannabis sense entered European languages through French descriptions of North African life, while Arabic kayf could also mean a person’s mood or state of pleasurable ease.
Etymological Timeline
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
kayf
“Pleasure, well-being, or a pleasurable state of mind”
Ottoman period
Ottoman Turkish
keyif
“Pleasure, enjoyment, or convivial relaxation”
19th Century
Maghrebi Arabic
kif
“Cannabis, especially cannabis resin or a preparation used for intoxication”
19th Century
French
kif
“Hashish or cannabis, borrowed from North African usage”
Modern English
English
kif
“Cannabis, particularly in North African cultural contexts”