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

All told, police seized more than $202,000 and 15,000 cigarette packets, most of which were imported from Germany and China and are believed to have a higher level of nicotine than typical American cigarettes, authorities said. —Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 24 Oct. 2025

Today, the market is dominated by ever-more concentrated and convenient formats, culminating in vapes that deliver nicotine with pharmaceutical precision. —Jahan Marcu, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025

Hair tests have the longest window, sometimes showing nicotine use months after your last exposure. —Health, 23 Oct. 2025

Smokeless tobacco or alternative nicotine products, such as chewing tobacco, will soon be banned at Detroit's sports stadiums. —Dana Afana, Freep.com, 22 Oct. 2025

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.