cannabis

noun

can·​na·​bis ˈka-nə-bəs How to pronounce cannabis (audio)
1
: a tall Asian herb (Cannabis sativa of the family Cannabaceae, the hemp family) that has a tough fiber and is often separated into a tall loosely branched species (C. sativa) and a low-growing densely branched species (C. indica) : hemp sense 1a
used especially for cultivated varieties having high levels of THC
2
a
: the psychoactive dried flower buds, leaves, or preparations (such as hashish) or chemicals (such as THC) that are derived from the cannabis plant
especially : marijuana

Examples of cannabis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The results illuminate heated local debates over where cannabis businesses can open up shop. Scott Clement, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024 Despite federal laws outlawing marijuana, Washington has largely allowed more than 30 states to legalize and regulate medical or recreational cannabis, for example. Jack Healy, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024 Embrace Intuition Despite its clichéd connotation, embracing intuition is the cornerstone for success in the cannabis industry. Mario Naric, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2024 The federal Farm Bill in 2018 legalized hemp — a cannabis plant with less than 0.3% THC content. Olivia Evans, The Courier-Journal, 18 Mar. 2024 Milpitas joins 56% of California cities and counties in the state that do not allow any type of cannabis business. Stephanie Lam, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2024 Compared with people who had never used marijuana, daily cannabis users had a 35% higher likelihood of a heart attack and 42% higher risk of stroke, according to the study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 29 Feb. 2024 Legal cannabis businesses operating in California are required to collect a 15% excise tax from their customers at the time of sale. Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024 Briner spoke during a briefing that was called to highlight legislation introduced Thursday to make a series of updates to the state law legalizing recreational cannabis for adults, which was enacted last May. Steve Karnowski, Quartz, 7 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cannabis.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin, hemp, from Greek kannabis; akin to Old English hænep hemp

First Known Use

1783, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cannabis was in 1783

Dictionary Entries Near cannabis

Cite this Entry

“Cannabis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cannabis. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cannabis

noun
can·​na·​bis ˈkan-ə-bəs How to pronounce cannabis (audio)
: hemp sense 1
also : a preparation (as marijuana) made from hemp and affecting the mind

Medical Definition

cannabis

noun
can·​na·​bis ˈkan-ə-bəs How to pronounce cannabis (audio)
1
: a tall Asian herb (Cannabis sativa of the family Cannabaceae, the hemp family) that has a tough fiber and is often separated into a tall loosely branched species (C. sativa) and a low-growing densely branched species (C. indica) : hemp sense 1
used especially for cultivated varieties having high levels of THC
2
: the psychoactive dried flower buds, leaves, or preparations (as hashish) or chemicals (as THC) that are derived from the cannabis plant
especially : marijuana

More from Merriam-Webster on cannabis

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!