nicotine

nic·o·tine

noun \ˈnik-ə-ˌtēn\

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\ , 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.