noun

narcotic

nah-KO-tihk

noun

A drug that dulls pain and induces sleep, especially an opioid, often used illegally.

"Doctors prescribe narcotics carefully because of the risk of addiction."

"Customs officers found narcotics hidden in the shipment."

adj

Relating to narcotics, or inducing sleep.

"The drug has a strong narcotic effect."

How to Use Narcotic

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA pain-relieving, sleep-inducing drug — commonly used to mean illegal opioid drugs.

Common pairings

narcotic drugs narcotics trafficking

more narcotic comparative, narcotics plural, most narcotic superlative

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Doctors prescribe _____ carefully because of the risk of addiction.

From Greek narkotikos, from narkoun, "to numb", related to narke, "numbness".

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