Nug
/nʌɡ/noun
A small lump or piece, especially a compact piece of cannabis flower in contemporary slang.
Did you know?Modern cannabis usage preserves the word’s older physical sense: something small, dense, and valuable, likely through shortening or association with “nugget.”
Etymological Timeline
19th Century
English
nug
“A dialectal word meaning a small lump or compact piece; its deeper origin is uncertain.”
1850s
English
nugget
“A small lump, especially a naturally occurring lump of gold; the origin of “nugget” itself remains uncertain.”
20th Century
English
nug
“A shortened or slang form associated with a small piece or lump.”
Late 20th Century
English
nug
“A compact piece of cannabis flower.”
Modern English
English
nug
“A small cannabis bud, or informally any small, prized piece of something.”