Added 7 October 2026
drug
/ˈdɹʌɡ/ noun
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about drug at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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A substance used to treat an illness, relieve a symptom, or modify a chemical process in the body for a specific purpose.
Aspirin is a drug that reduces pain, acts against inflammation and lowers body temperature.
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A psychoactive substance, especially one which is illegal and addictive, ingested for recreational use, such as cocaine.
We took drugs and partied all night.
- Anything, such as a substance, emotion, or action, to which one is addicted.
verb
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To administer intoxicating drugs to, generally without the recipient's knowledge or consent.
She suddenly felt strange, and only then realized she'd been drugged.
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To add intoxicating drugs to with the intention of drugging someone.
She suddenly felt strange. She realized her drink must have been drugged.
- To prescribe or administer drugs or medicines.
verb
noun
- A drudge.
Origin
From Middle English drogge (“medicine”), from Middle French drogue, drocque (“tincture, pharmaceutical product”) (c. 1462), from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German droge, as in droge vate (“dry vats, dry barrels”), mistaking droge for the contents, which were usually dried herbs, plants or wares. Droge comes from Middle Dutch drōghe (“dry”), from Old Dutch drōgi (“dry”), from Proto-Germanic *draugiz (“dry, hard”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰerǵʰ- (“to strengthen; become hard or solid”), from *dʰer- (“to hold, hold fast, support”). Displaced native Old English lybb (“drug, medicine”). Cognate with English dry, Dutch droog (“dry”), German trocken (“dry”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)