Nicotine
/ˈnɪk.ə.tiːn/noun
A poisonous, addictive alkaloid found in tobacco.
Did you know?The word comes from Jean Nicot, the French ambassador who helped popularize tobacco in Europe, and the chemical name was later coined from his surname—turning a man’s name into the label for one of the world’s most addictive plant poisons.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
French
Nicot
“A French surname, especially Jean Nicot, associated with introducing tobacco to the French court”
Late 16th Century
French
nicotiane
“Tobacco plant; named after Nicot”
17th Century
New Latin
nicotiana
“Tobacco plant genus name”
1828
German
Nikotin
“The toxic alkaloid isolated from tobacco”
19th Century
English
nicotine
“The poisonous alkaloid found in tobacco”