noun
Common
cocaine
kuh-KAYN
Cocaine (noun) means a powerful, addictive stimulant drug extracted from the coca plant, used illegally as a recreational drug and occasionally in medicine as a local anaesthetic. Example: “The health lesson explained why cocaine is dangerous and illegal.”
noun
1
A powerful, addictive stimulant drug extracted from the coca plant, used illegally as a recreational drug and occasionally in medicine as a local anaesthetic.
"The health lesson explained why cocaine is dangerous and illegal."
"Cocaine use can cause a dangerously fast heart rate."
"Doctors once used cocaine as a surgical anaesthetic before safer alternatives were developed."
How to use cocaine
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn illegal stimulant drug made from coca leaves.
Common pairings
cocaine addiction
a line of cocaine
cocaine use
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Word forms
- Plural
- cocaines
- Third person singular
- cocaines
- Past tense
- cocained
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The health lesson explained why _____ is dangerous and illegal.
Etymology
Formed from "coca" plus the chemical suffix "-ine"; first used in this sense around 1874.
Class of 1874
cocaine joined the language around 1874.
See the full Class of 1874 →
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for cocaine
See all rhymes for cocaine →Frequently asked questions
What does “cocaine” mean?
The word “cocaine” means a powerful, addictive stimulant drug extracted from the coca plant, used illegally as a recreational drug and occasionally in medicine as a local anaesthetic. In plain terms, an illegal stimulant drug made from coca leaves.
How do you pronounce “cocaine”?
“Cocaine” is pronounced kuh-KAYN (/koʊˈkeɪn/ in IPA).
How do you use “cocaine” in a sentence?
Here is “cocaine” used in a sentence: “Cocaine use can cause a dangerously fast heart rate.”
What is another word for “cocaine”?
Words with a similar meaning to “cocaine” include benzoylmethylecgonine, blow, Bolivian marching powder, booger sugar, boots and California corn flakes.
What part of speech is “cocaine”?
“Cocaine” is a noun.
Where does the word “cocaine” come from?
The word “cocaine” dates back to around 1874. Formed from "coca" plus the chemical suffix "-ine"; first used in this sense around 1874.
Is “cocaine” a common word?
“Cocaine” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between cocaine and crack?
Cocaine is a powerful, addictive stimulant drug extracted from the coca plant, usually encountered as a powder. Crack is a hardened, smokable form processed from powdered cocaine, and smoking it delivers the drug's effects more rapidly and intensely.
Is cocaine ever used legally in medicine?
Yes, in very limited settings. Cocaine is occasionally used in medicine as a local anaesthetic, for example in certain ear, nose, and throat procedures, but recreational possession and use remain illegal in most countries.
What is the difference between coca and cocoa?
Coca is the South American plant from whose leaves cocaine is extracted. Cocoa is the powder made from cacao beans and is the basis of chocolate; despite their similar spellings, the two words refer to entirely different plants.
Is coke a formal word for cocaine?
No. Coke, along with blow and charlie, is informal slang for cocaine and belongs to casual speech. Medical, legal, and news writing uses the standard term cocaine.
