English Explanatory Dictionary

heroin

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A powerful and addictive drug derived from opium producing intense euphoria, classed as an illegal narcotic in most of the world.
noun
  1. Obsolete spelling of heroine.

Pronunciation

/ˈhɛɹoʊ.ɪn/ /hɛəɹoʊ.ɪn/ En-us-heroin.ogg

Word forms

heroin heroins heroine

Etymology

Since the 1890s, from German Heroin, originally a trademark, from Ancient Greek ἥρως (hḗrōs, “hero”) and the suffix -in (“-ine”). Said to have been called thus to evoke quick and sweeping effect as a painkiller and cough suppressant (its original uses). Alternatively explained as a reference to the heroic school of medicine.

Synonyms

brown sugar dog food dugee henry heroin muck mud ron scag spider sugar whiteboy white lady diamorphine diacetylmorphine smack Big H boy brown bujj dope junk H horse shit skag train yam yam

Related words

China White shit

Derived words

antiheroin brown heroin heroin chic heroinism heroinlike heroinomania heroinomaniac heroinware hillbilly heroin
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