Etymology Map
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Heroin

3 stages from Greek to English.

Today it means a highly addictive narcotic drug made from morphine

Where does the word "heroin" come from? It comes from Greek hḗrōs, passing through German before entering English (1898).

1
Stage 1 of 3
hḗrōs
Greek · ancient
"hero"
'hero, demigod', as in the heroes of Homer's Iliad
2
Stage 2 of 3
Heroin
German · 1898
"diacetylmorphine"
Bayer trademarked it in 1898 and sold it as a cough medicine, supposedly because it made users feel heroic
3
Stage 3 of 3
heroin
English · 1898
"narcotic drug"
its addictiveness soon became clear, and the US banned its manufacture in 1924
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Read the full story

Heroin’s story begins in Greek: hḗrōs meant “hero.” 'hero, demigod', as in the heroes of Homer's Iliad. By 1898, the word had taken hold in German as Heroin. Bayer trademarked it in 1898 and sold it as a cough medicine, supposedly because it made users feel heroic. It reached English by 1898 as heroin. Its addictiveness soon became clear, and the US banned its manufacture in 1924. Today, heroin means a highly addictive narcotic drug made from morphine.