Word
marijuana
Phoneticsmar·i·jua·na
US/ˌmɛɹəˈwɑnə/
UK/mˌæɹɪwˈɑːnɐ/
Definitions
01the drug
n. the dried parts of the cannabis plant that people use as a drug.
n. the dried inflorescence and leaves of the Cannabis sativa plant, typically smoked or ingested for its psychoactive effects.
“In some countries, it is legal to buy marijuana for medical reasons.”
“The local government debated whether the tax revenue from legal marijuana sales would outweigh the potential social costs of increased consumption.”
02the plant
n. the hemp plant that the drug comes from.
n. the Cannabis sativa plant itself, specifically varieties cultivated for high THC content.
“The farmer was arrested for growing marijuana in his backyard.”
“Botanists distinguish between industrial hemp and marijuana based on the concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol present in the plant's resin.”
Technical
Etymology
Borrowed from Mexican Spanish marihuana, from mariguana. First attested in 1874 in the publications of Hubert Howe Bancroft. Altered by influence of a folk etymology involving the proper name María Juana (“Mary Jane”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.