cocaine

[ koh-keyn, koh-keyn ]
See synonyms for cocaine on Thesaurus.com
nounPharmacology.
  1. a bitter, crystalline alkaloid, C17H21NO4, obtained from coca leaves, used as a local anesthetic and also widely used as an illicit drug for its stimulant and euphorigenic properties.

Origin of cocaine

1
First recorded in 1870–75; coca + -ine1

Words Nearby cocaine

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use cocaine in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for cocaine

cocaine

cocain

/ (kəˈkeɪn) /


noun
  1. an addictive narcotic drug derived from coca leaves or synthesized, used medicinally as a topical anaesthetic. Formula: C 17 H 21 NO 4

Origin of cocaine

1
C19: from coca + -ine 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for cocaine

cocaine

[ kō-kān ]


  1. A colorless or white crystalline alkaloid extracted from coca leaves. Cocaine is sometimes used in medicine as a local anesthetic, especially for the eyes, nose, or throat. It is also widely used as an illicit drug for its euphoric and stimulating effects. Chemical formula: C17H21NO4.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for cocaine

cocaine

A drug derived from the leaves of a shrub in South America that has an intoxicating effect on the body and can result in dependency if frequently used. Cocaine is used medically as a local anesthetic.

Notes for cocaine

Cocaine use constitutes a major drug problem in the United States.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.