cannabis

noun

can·na·bis | \ˈka-nə-bəs

Definition of cannabis

1 : a tall Asian herb (Cannabis sativa of the family Cannabaceae, the hemp family) that has a tough fiber and is often separated into a tall loosely branched species (C. sativa) and a low-growing densely branched species (C. indica) : hemp sense 1a —used especially for cultivated varieties having high levels of THC

2a : the psychoactive dried flower buds, leaves, or preparations (such as hashish) or chemicals (such as THC) that are derived from the cannabis plant especially : marijuana

b : cannabinoid

Examples of cannabis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Food and Drug Adminstration’s approval of Epidiolex, a medication derived from cannabis, could be life-changing for Americans suffering from certain types of epilepsy. — Jon Cooper, STAT, "New drug approval should force the DEA to rethink cannabis-derived medicines," 26 June 2018 Aside from cannabis, the state appears to have a fairly sunny budget picture. — Adam Ashton, sacbee, "California's marijuana tax collections lag below expectations | The Sacramento Bee," 9 May 2018 The researchers note, however, that abstaining from cannabis for just a few days would likely reverse any blockade. — Beth Mole, Ars Technica, "Here are the types of marijuana best for stress and anxiety, according to users," 20 Apr. 2018 And the best way to do that is by lowering the price of cannabis. — Dan Adams, BostonGlobe.com, "The hidden, high-tech world of communications at Fenway Park," 10 July 2018 The British drugmaker studied the drug in more than 500 patients with hard-to-treat seizures, overcoming numerous legal hurdles to conducting research with cannabis. — Fox News, "Medical milestone: US OKs marijuana-based drug for seizures," 25 June 2018 The British drugmaker studied the drug in more than 500 patients with hard-to-treat seizures, overcoming numerous legal hurdles to conducting research with cannabis. — Matthew Perrone, The Seattle Times, "Medical milestone: US OKs marijuana-based drug for seizures," 25 June 2018 GW Pharmaceuticals says the solution, taken by mouth, is made from a proprietary strain of cannabis designed to maximize a therapeutic component while minimizing components that produce euphoria. — Peter Loftus, WSJ, "FDA Approves First Drug Derived From Marijuana Plant," 25 June 2018 Very often pharmacies with cannabis for sale see long queues forming at the door. — Tamra Santana, Houston Chronicle, "Home building boom continues for Spring, Klein, Tomball and Cypress communities," 14 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cannabis.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

11 Nov 2018

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The first known use of cannabis was in 1783

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More Definitions for cannabis

cannabis

noun

can·na·bis | \ˈkan-ə-bəs

Medical Definition of cannabis

1a capitalized : a genus of annual herbs (family Moraceae) that have leaves with three to seven elongate leaflets and pistillate flowers in spikes along the leafy erect stems and that include the hemp (C. sativa)

b : hemp sense 1

2 : any of the preparations (as marijuana or hashish) or chemicals (as THC) that are derived from the hemp and are psychoactive