narcotic Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a drug that produces numbness or stupor; often taken for pleasure or to reduce pain; extensive use can lead to addiction
  2. adjective of or relating to or designating narcotics
    • narcotic addicts
    • narcotic stupor
  3. adjective satellite inducing stupor or narcosis
    narcotizing; narcotising.
    • narcotic drugs
  4. adjective satellite inducing mental lethargy
    soporiferous; soporific.
    • a narcotic speech

WordNet

Nar*cot"ic adjective
Etymology
F. narcotique, Gr. , fr. to benumb, na`rkh numbness, torpor.
Definitions
  1. (Med.) Having the properties of a narcotic; operating as a narcotic. -- Nar*cot"ic*ness, n.
Nar*cot"ic noun
Definitions
  1. (Med.) A drug which, in medicinal doses, generally allays morbid susceptibility, relieves pain, and produces sleep; but which, in poisonous doses, produces stupor, coma, or convulsions, and, when given in sufficient quantity, causes death. The best examples are opium (with morphine), belladonna (with atropine), and conium.
    Nercotykes and opye (opium) of Thebes. Chaucer.

Webster 1913