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

Latest in Health 7 hours ago Family - Parenting 400,000 American teenagers are using addictive nicotine pouches like Zyn. —Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 7 June 2024

Worried Uncle Dear Worried: These parents’ choice to hook their daughter on vaping nicotine, allegedly in order to protect her from tar and other chemicals present in cigarettes is not only incomprehensible, but reprehensible. —Amy Dickinson, Detroit Free Press, 11 Feb. 2024

For example, e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes are essentially nicotine dispensers. —Bryant Stamford, The Courier-Journal, 8 Feb. 2024

Research has shown that nicotine exposure results in long-term functional and structural changes in the brain. —Jon-Patrick Allem, The Conversation, 31 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

French, from New Latin nicotiana

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined above

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.