Word
reefer
US/ˈɹifɝ/
UK/ɹˈiːfɐ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a cigarette made with marijuana. You hear it mostly in old films and talk about drugs from the past.
n. a cigarette containing marijuana.
Examples
“He rolls a reefer after dinner.”
“The police found a half-smoked reefer in the car during the traffic stop.”
“The film's title evokes the 1930s panic over marijuana, when newspapers warned that a single reefer could corrupt an entire generation of young people.”
Examples
simple
“He rolls a reefer after dinner.”
contextual
“The police found a half-smoked reefer in the car during the traffic stop.”
complex
“The film's title evokes the 1930s panic over marijuana, when newspapers warned that a single reefer could corrupt an entire generation of young people.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “reefer” in context.
Verb
01. drag on reefer
“He took a long drag on the reefer and coughed loudly.”
verb + prep + noun
02. light reefer
“She stepped onto the balcony to light a reefer away from the crowd.”
verb + noun
03. pass reefer
“The friends sat in a circle and passed a reefer around the campfire.”
verb + noun
04. puff on reefer
“The old sailor puffed on a reefer as he told stories of the 1940s.”
verb + prep + noun
05. reefer burns
“The reefer burned slowly as smoke curled toward the ceiling.”
noun + verb
Adjective
06. cheap reefer
“They bought a cheap reefer from a street dealer in the old film.”
adj + noun
07. fat reefer
“The jazz musician pulled out a fat reefer during the break between sets.”
adj + noun
08. illicit reefer
“Possession of an illicit reefer could land you in jail in the 1950s.”
adj + noun
09. potent reefer
“He coughed hard after trying a particularly potent reefer at the party.”
adj + noun
Noun
10. hit of reefer
“Just one hit of the reefer made him feel dizzy and light-headed.”
noun + prep + noun
11. light up a reefer
“They went behind the club to light up a reefer unnoticed.”
12. pass around a reefer
“In the film, the soldiers pass around a reefer in the trench.”
Etymology
From reef + -er.
Clipping of refrigerator.
Uncertain. Perhaps from Mexican Spanish grifa (“cannabis”) or Central American Spanish grifo (“someone who smokes cannabis”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/reefer