English
narcotic
Narcotic comes from Medieval Latin narcōticum, from Ancient Greek ναρκόω ‘to benumb’, and ultimately from νάρκη ‘numbness, torpor’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEνάρκηnárkē‘numbness, torpor’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEναρκόωnarkóō‘to benumb’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEναρκωτῐκόνnarkōtĭkón
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500narcōticum
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400narcotique
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600narcotique
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500narcotyk
- Englishearliest quotation 1850narcotic
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEνάρκηnárkē‘numbness, torpor’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEναρκόωnarkóō‘to benumb’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEναρκωτῐκόνnarkōtĭkón
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500narcōticum
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400narcotique
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600narcotique
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500narcotyk
- Englishearliest quotation 1850narcotic
Earliest quotation: 1850, [Alfred, Canto V: “But, for the unquiet heart and brain, A use…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *(s)nerk- ‘to loop, wind’
through Ancient Greek νάρκη ‘numbness, torpor’
Another origin of narcotic
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEναρκωτῐκόςnarkōtĭkós‘making stiff or numb, narcotic’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500narcōticus
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600narcotiqueuncertain
- Englishtodaynarcotic
Today it means
noun Any substance or drug that reduces pain, induces sleep and may alter mood or behaviour; in some contexts, especially in reference to the opiates-and-opioids class, especially in reference to illegal drugs, and often both.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek νάρκη / narcotic