cannabis

noun can·na·bis \ ˈka-nə-bəs \

|Updated on: 5 Aug 2018

Definition of cannabis

1 : hemp 1a

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

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Recent Examples of cannabis from the Web

Take marijuana: As states like Colorado began legalizing weed, effective in 2014, about $700 million has flowed into the cannabis industry.

— theodore schleifer, Recode, "What’s so wrong with Silicon Valley investing in sin?," 9 July 2018
Marijuana attorney Jana Weltzin said some in the cannabis industry were disappointed by the municipality's decision to seek an increase in taxes.

— laurel andrews, Anchorage Daily News, "Anchorage considers increasing marijuana sales tax as consumers clamor for cannabis," 13 June 2018
Both the general public and people interested in getting into the cannabis industry —which is projected to be a $700-million market in Michigan for medical marijuana alone — are welcome to attend the convention, but there is a cost.

— kathleen gray, Detroit Free Press, "Marijuana entrepreneurs headed to Detroit this weekend for CannaCon," 30 May 2018
The issue has taken on a new level of importance as the multibillion-dollar California cannabis industry begins to ramp up.

— peter fimrite, San Francisco Chronicle, "Illegal pot grows spread deadly pesticides, other hazards, despite change in law," 29 May 2018
Prospects for the cannabis industry have never been greener as a majority of Americans now favor legalization.

— simone foxman, Bloomberg.com, "Jim Beam Heir Turns to Pot With Plan for a Cannabis Empire," 14 May 2018
Democrats eyeing a 2020 presidential run have grown increasingly vocal about the shortcomings of current federal law, and the cannabis industry has stepped up lobbying lawmakers in both parties.

— the washington post, NOLA.com, "John Boehner was a longtime opponent of marijuana reform. Here's what changed his mind," 11 Apr. 2018
The festival was founded last year by Stephen Marley in Miami and was moved to California this year which is seeing a rapid growth in the cannabis industry following legalization in the state in 2016.

— dave brooks, Billboard, "Marley Family Comes Together for Kaya Festival in Southern California," 28 Mar. 2018
That problem was underscored by the National Academics of Science, Engineering and Medicine, which released a 500-page overview of the health affects of cannabis and cannabinoids in January 2017.

— gary robbins, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Consumers are being flooded with dubious claims about the health benefits of marijuana," 9 July 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.

Origin and Etymology of cannabis

Latin, hemp, from Greek kannabis; akin to Old English hænep hemp

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1783

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Other Drug/Tobacco Terms

controlled, flake, herb, key, sodden

Medical Dictionary

cannabis

noun can·na·bis \ ˈkan-ə-bəs \

medical Definition of cannabis

1 a 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 1

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