narcotic

Meanings

Noun

• Any substance or drug that reduces pain, induces sleep and may alter mood or behaviour; in some contexts, especially in reference to the opiates-and-opioids class, especially in reference to illegal drugs, and often both.
• Any type of numbing or soothing drug.

Adjective

• Of, or relating to narcotics.
• Inducing sleep; causing narcosis.

Origin

• From Old French narcotique, from Medieval Latin narcoticum, from Ancient Greek ναρκόω, from νάρκη.