narcotic

Where does the word "narcotic" come from? It comes from Greek narkotikos, passing through French before entering English (1300s).

Narcotic’s story begins in Greek: narkotikos meant “numbing, causing sleep.” Numbing, from narke (numbness). By 1300s, the word had taken hold in French as narcotique. Carried into French medical vocabulary for sleep-inducing drugs. It reached English by 1300s as narcotic. Settled as the English word for pain-relieving, sleep-inducing drugs. Today, narcotic means a drug affecting mood or behavior, especially an addictive one.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient narkotikos "numbing, causing sleep", numbing, from narke (numbness).
2. Stage 2 · French · 1300s narcotique "a sleep-inducing drug", carried into French medical vocabulary for sleep-inducing drugs.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s narcotic "a drug that relieves pain and induces sleep", settled as the English word for pain-relieving, sleep-inducing drugs.