Narc
/nɑːrk/noun
A police informant or undercover informer; also a slang term for a narcotics officer.
Did you know?Narc is clipped from narcotic, which ultimately comes from Greek nárkē, meaning 'numbness' or 'stupor'—the same ancient root behind words for paralysis and sleep-like trance.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
GRK
nárkē
“numbness, stupor, paralysis”
Late Greek
GRK
narkōtikós
“causing numbness”
Latin
LAT
narcoticus
“numbing, stupefying”
17th-19th Century
English
narcotic
“a drug that induces sleep or numbness”
20th Century
English
narc
“a narcotics officer or informant”
Explore more surprising origins