nicotine

noun

nic·​o·​tine ˈni-kə-ˌtēn 

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

Examples of nicotine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, and opioids increase dopamine release in the pathway; so do gambling and social media. —Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026

Philip Morris’s nicotine pouch brand Zyn continues to grow and is becoming a bigger part of its business despite competition from British American Tobacco’s Velo. —Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 6 Feb. 2026

As my colleagues in public health have stated recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association, nicotine pouches can be an effective smoking cessation tool. —Timothy Vermillion, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2026

These factors include four health behaviors -- diet quality, physical activity, sleep duration and nicotine exposure -- and four health factors, including blood pressure, body mass index, blood sugar and blood fat levels. —Dr. Joseph Wendt, ABC News, 28 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, from New Latin nicotiana

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for nicotine

• acrolein
• adenine
• alkylene
• aniline
• anthracene
• aquiline
• asphaltene
• atlantean
• atrazine
• butadiene
• butylene
• caesarean

Kids Definition

nicotine

noun

nic·​o·​tine ˈnik-ə-ˌtēn 

: a poisonous substance found in tobacco and used as an insecticide

Medical Definition

nicotine

noun

nic·​o·​tine ˈnik-ə-ˌtēn 

: a poisonous alkaloid C₁₀H₁₄N₂ that is the chief active principle of tobacco and that is used as an insecticide and is sometimes used in smoking cessation aids

Note: Trademarks for nicotine include Nicoderm, Nicorette, and Nicotrol.