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Webster's New World College Dictionary » narcotic
narcotic
narcotic definition
nar·cotic (när kät′ik)
noun
- a drug, as opium or any of its derivatives (morphine, heroin, codeine, etc.), used to relieve pain and induce sleep: narcotics are often addictive and in excessive doses can cause stupor, coma, or death
- anything that has a soothing, lulling, or dulling effect
Etymology: ME narcotyke < OFr narcotique, orig. adj. < ML narcoticus < Gr narkoun, to benumb < narkē, numbness, stupor < IE *nerk- < base *(s)ner-, to twist, entwine > snare, narrow
adjective
- of, like, or capable of producing narcosis
- of, by, or for narcotic addicts
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