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Where does the word "dope" come from? It comes from Dutch doop, and was adopted directly into English (1800s).
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Where does the word "dope" come from? It comes from Dutch doop, and was adopted directly into English (1800s).
Dope’s story begins in Dutch: doop meant “sauce.” A dipping sauce, from 'doopen', to dip. It reached English by 1800s as dope. First a thick sauce, then the thick opium paste smoked in the 1880s, then 'inside information' by 1900. Today, dope means drugs; information; a stupid person.
- Stage 1 · Dutch · 1600s doop "sauce", a dipping sauce, from 'doopen', to dip.
- Stage 2 · American English · 1800s dope "sauce; drug; information", first a thick sauce, then the thick opium paste smoked in the 1880s, then 'inside information' by 1900.