nicotine

nic·o·tine

noun \ˈni-kə-ˌtēn\

Definition of NICOTINE

: a poisonous alkaloid C₁₀H₁₄N₂ that is the chief active principle of tobacco and is used as an insecticide

Origin of NICOTINE

French, from New Latin nicotiana

First Known Use: 1819

Rhymes with NICOTINE

Aberdeen, almandine, amandine, argentine, Argentine, atropine, Balanchine, barkentine, bengaline, blanc de chine, bombazine, Borodin, brigandine, brigantine, brilliantine, Byzantine, carotene, carrageen, celandine, clozapine, contravene, crepe de chine, crystalline, damascene, Dexedrine, dopamine, Dramamine, drum machine, duvetyn, eglantine, endocrine, Eocene, epicene, estuarine, evergreen, fescennine, figurine, Florentine, gabardine, gaberdine, gadarene, galantine, gasoline, Ghibelline, go-between, golden mean, grenadine, Gretna Green, guillotine, Halloween, haute cuisine, Hippocrene, histamine, Holocene, in-between, indigene, intervene, jelly bean, Josephine, jumping bean, kerosene, kidney bean, langoustine, legatine, lethal gene, Levantine, libertine, limousine, lycopene, M16, magazine, make the scene, mangosteen, margravine, Medellín, melamine, messaline, mezzanine, Miocene, mousseline, navy bean, Nazarene, nectarine, opaline, organzine, palanquin, pelerine, percaline, peregrine, philhellene, Philistine, pinto bean, Pleistocene, Pliocene, riverine, quarantine, reserpine, saccharine, Sakhalin, Saladin, San Joaquin, sapphirine, schizophrene, serpentine, seventeen, sibylline, slot machine, submarine, subroutine, supervene, tambourine, tangerine, Theatine, time machine, tourmaline, trampoline, transmarine, travertine, Tridentine, Ursuline, Vaseline, velveteen, wintergreen, wolverine, zibeline

nic·o·tine

noun \ˈnik-ə-ˌtēn\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of NICOTINE

: a poisonous alkaloid C₁₀H₁₄N₂ that is the chief active principle of tobacco and that is used as an insecticide

Biographical Note for NICOTINE

Ni·cot \nē-kō\ (audio pronunciation) Jean (1530?–1600), French diplomat. While French ambassador to Portugal, Nicot introduced tobacco to France by sending tobacco seeds as a gift to the French court in 1560. Linnaeus named the plant genus Nicotiana in his honor in 1753.

nicotine

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Principal alkaloid of tobacco, occurring throughout the plant but mostly in the leaves. It is a heterocyclic compound containing a pyridine ring; its chemical formula is CHN. Nicotine is the chief addictive ingredient (see drug addiction) in cigarettes and cigars and in snuff. It has a unique biphasic effect: inhaled in short puffs, it is a stimulant, but it can be a tranquilizer when inhaled slowly and deeply. In larger doses nicotine is a highly toxic poison, used as an insecticide, fumigant, and vermifuge.