Dictionary

nicotine

noun nic·o·tine \ˈni-kə-ˌtēn\

: a poisonous substance in tobacco that makes it difficult for people to stop smoking cigarettes

Full Definition of NICOTINE

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

Origin of NICOTINE

French, from New Latin nicotiana
First Known Use: 1819
NICOTINE Defined for Kids

nicotine

noun nic·o·tine \ˈni-kə-ˌtēn\

Definition of NICOTINE for Kids

:  a poisonous substance found in small amounts in tobacco
Medical Dictionary

nicotine

noun nic·o·tine \ˈnik-ə-ˌtēn\

Medical Definition of NICOTINE

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

Biographical Note for NICOTINE

Ni·cot \nē-kō\ , Jean (1530?–1600), French diplomat. While French ambassador to Portugal, Nicot introduced tobacco to France by sending tobacco seeds as a gift to the French court in 1560. Linnaeus named the plant genus Nicotiana in his honor in 1753.

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