noun Common

heroin

HEH-roh-ihn

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Heroin (noun) means a highly addictive illegal drug made from morphine, known for producing an intense rush of euphoria. Example: “Doctors warn that heroin is extremely dangerous and very hard to stop using.”

noun

A highly addictive illegal drug made from morphine, known for producing an intense rush of euphoria.

"Doctors warn that heroin is extremely dangerous and very hard to stop using."

"The charity offers support to people who are trying to give up heroin."

"That’s because the second thing to know about Games Workshop is, as Gillen says, that Warhammer was what middle-class nerds did instead of heroin. It was just as expensive, and probably no better for your social life." — Alex Hern, ‘Heroin for middle-class nerds’: how Warhammer conquered gaming (2019)

"Fentanyl, which looks like heroin, is a powerful synthetic painkiller that has been laced into heroin but is increasingly being sold by itself — often without the user’s knowledge." — Katharine Q. Seelye, Heroin Epidemic Is Yielding to a Deadlier Cousin: Fentanyl (2016)

"The documentary followed several people struggling to recover from heroin addiction."

How to use heroin

Learner’s notes

In 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

heroine →

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Word forms

Plural: heroins

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Doctors warn that _____ is extremely dangerous and very hard to stop using.

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.

Origin: German · First attested 1890

Class of 1890 heroin joined the language around 1890.

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Synonyms

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smack junk horse gear diamorphine dope brown sugar dog food dugee henry muck mud

Related words

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Rhymes for heroin

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Frequently asked questions

What does “heroin” mean?

The word “heroin” means a highly addictive illegal drug made from morphine, known for producing an intense rush of euphoria. In plain terms, a dangerous, highly addictive street drug derived from morphine.

How do you pronounce “heroin”?

“Heroin” is pronounced HEH-roh-ihn (/hɛəɹoʊ.ɪn/ in IPA).

How do you use “heroin” in a sentence?

Here is “heroin” used in a sentence: “The documentary followed several people struggling to recover from heroin addiction.”

What is another word for “heroin”?

Words with a similar meaning to “heroin” include brown sugar, dog food, dugee, henry, muck and mud.

What part of speech is “heroin”?

“Heroin” is a noun.

Where does the word “heroin” come from?

The word “heroin” dates back to around 1890 and comes from German.

Is “heroin” a common word?

“Heroin” is a fairly common word in modern English.

What is the difference between heroin and morphine?

Both are opioids, but morphine is derived from the opium poppy and used medically for pain, while heroin is made from morphine, is more potent, and is an illegal drug in most countries with no accepted medical use. Heroin is chemically processed from morphine.

What is the difference between heroin and heroine?

These are commonly confused because of their spelling: heroin is a highly addictive illegal drug, while heroine, ending in -e, is a female hero such as the leading female character in a story. The two words differ by one letter but have unrelated meanings.

What is heroin made from?

Heroin is made from morphine, a substance derived from the opium poppy. It is chemically processed to be more potent, which contributes to how addictive it is.

Why is heroin considered so addictive?

Heroin is considered highly addictive because it produces an intense, short-lived rush of euphoria that strongly reinforces repeated use. Physical dependence and tolerance also tend to develop quickly.

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