Definition of NICOTINE

nicotine

Noun

  • an alkaloid poison that occurs in tobacco; used in medicine and as an insecticide
  • An alkaloid (C₁₀H₁₄N₂), commonly occurring in the tobacco plant.
  • Tobacco or cigarettes.
  • pl. -S a poisonous alkaloid in tobacco

Examples

  • "He is addicted to nicotine."
  • "He's got nicotine stains on his fingers."

Origin / Etymology

Borrowed from French nicotine, equivalent to Nicot + -ine, named after Jean Nicot (1530–1604), the French ambassador to Portugal, who sent tobacco seeds back to France in 1561. The etymology of the surname itself is unclear.

Scrabble Score: 10

nicotine: valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
nicotine: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
nicotine: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 13

nicotine is a valid Words With Friends word