Where does “narcotic” come from?
Narcotic comes from Old French narcotique, from Latin narcoticum, from Ancient Greek ναρκόω meaning to stupefy, derived from νάρκη meaning numbness or torpor.
narcotic (English): Any substance or drug that reduces pain, induces...
Definitions
- Any substance or drug that reduces pain, induces...
Ancestry of “narcotic”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | narcotique | sedative; provoking sleep |
| 2 | Latin | narcoticus | narcotic |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ναρκωτικός | making stiff or numb, narcotic |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ναρκόω | I benumb |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | -όω | Added to a noun or adjective to make a verb with... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -oyéti | Creates factitive verbs from adjectives |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -yéti | Creates intransitive, often deponent,... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | yé- | — |
| 9 | Chichewa | iye | he, she |