Marijuana
/ˌmær.ɪˈwɑː.nə/noun
Cannabis, especially when used as a psychoactive drug.
Did you know?The English word spread in the early 20th century largely through U.S. anti-cannabis rhetoric, and its exact source is still debated, with possible links to Mexican Spanish and other regional forms.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
kánnabis
“Hemp or cannabis plant”
Classical Latin
Latin
cannabis
“Hemp; cannabis”
16th–19th Century
Spanish
marihuana / marihuana
“A form of the word used in Mexican Spanish for cannabis”
Early 20th Century
English
marijuana
“Cannabis, especially the psychoactive drug”
Modern English
English
marijuana
“Cannabis, especially when used as a psychoactive drug”