noun
heroin
HEH-roh-ihn
noun
1
A highly addictive illegal drug made from morphine, known for producing an intense rush of euphoria.
"The documentary followed several people struggling to recover from heroin addiction."
How to Use Heroin
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA dangerous, highly addictive street drug derived from morphine.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "heroine," a female hero — they sound identical but are spelled differently and mean completely different things.
Easily confused with
Word Forms
heroins plural
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The documentary followed several people struggling to recover from _____ addiction.
Etymology
Coined in German in the 1890s as Heroin, originally a brand name, built from Greek hḗrōs ("hero") plus the chemical suffix "-in." It was marketed as a supposedly "heroic," powerful cure for coughs and pain before its addictiveness became clear.