Your Guide To Cannabis Slang
No matter how well you know how to smoke your weed, you’re never a true marijuana enthusiast if you don’t speak the language. From the etymology of weed to the cannabis slang dictionary and everything in between, this article will teach you how to speak marijuana.
Ready? Let’s go!
The Origin of “Weed”
Studying the etymology of weed ensures that we understand and appreciate how our favourite hobby originated and evolved over time. Many prehistoric cultures used cannabis for therapeutic and commercial purposes and gave them various names while at it. That’s how we came about the names below, with some of them becoming more prevalent and others which are gradually becoming obsolete:
Marijuana
The word marijuana, which was once written “marihuana” or “mariguana,” is of Mexican Spanish origin. The Nahuatl word “malihuan,” which means “prisoner,” may be the origin of the name, according to the Oxford English Dictionary.
This derivation gained popularity due to the work of Harry Anslinger, a prominent anti-cannabis propagandist who aimed to uphold prejudice by connecting marijuana with minorities. Nevertheless, “marijuana” has no relationship with incarceration and may be an unintentional homophony of “ma ren hua,” a Chinese phrase meaning “hemp seed flower.”
Cannabis
The term “cannabis” has Thracian or Scythian origins. Cannabis was revered by the Scythians, a tribe of prehistoric nomadic warriors who ruled the Pontic Steppe. The herb was used in the Scythian “cult of the dead” ritual, and tribal members would assemble in tents and fill them with cannabis smoke during this rite.
The herb later evolved into the Latin word, “cannabis,” which Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish botanist, used in classifying the plant. This is how the botanical name Cannabis Sativa L., came to be.
Ganja
The word “ganja” comes from the Sanskrit word “gañjā” which refers to a preparation using the herb. The word also appears as “gāñjā” in Hindi, an Indo-Aryan language descended from Sanskrit.
Kush
Kush is a common phrase used to mean high-quality marijuana, but it also refers to particular cannabis varieties that come from the Hindu Kush mountain area. Kush varieties frequently serve as the basis for new hybrids, adding their distinctive flavours and effects.
Pot
The phrase, Pot, which originated from the Spanish “potiguaya,” comes from “potación,” an alcoholic beverage created by steeping cannabis blossoms in wine or brandy. “Pot” first gained popularity in the United States during the 1930s.
Weed
In order to conceal their actions, cannabis users began calling the herb “weed.” This term gained popularity among young people eager to hide their smoking activities in the 1970s.
Marijuana Slangs to Note
Want to speak like a true cannabis gangster? Here are some words to incorporate into your lexicon:
Baked
Describes the weariness, heaviness, and hunger you feel when you’re high on cannabis.
Bhang
An expression in Hindi that refers to both the plant and a beverage made from cannabis, milk, and spices.
Blazed
Very high with bloodshot eyes.
Blazing
The act of burning cannabis, hash, and extracts to achieve a high.
Bud
The part of the marijuana herb that is smokable and covered with trichomes.
Dank
Describes superior or high-quality cannabis buds.
Dagga
A term for marijuana in South Africa; it is also another name for Leonotis leonurus, a plant that is mildly psychoactive and found in the region.
Dope
A label for a variety of drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, and cannabis.
Grass
A common codename for marijuana in the 1960s that refers to the plant’s green colour.
Hippy
Somebody who enjoys nature and hallucinogens; typically always holding a joint.
Mary Jane
A wordplay on the Spanish word “marijuana.”
Pothead
Someone who smokes a lot of marijuana
Safety Meeting
Also “Sesh,” it’s a secret code for “smoking session.”
Shatter
A cannabis extract that is fragile and glassy in appearance.
Sinsemilla
High-quality, unpollinated cannabis flowers without seeds.
Stoner
A regular cannabis smoker who is usually high; modern cannabis users are now accepting of this term.
Reefer
A nickname that originated in the 1930s and primarily connotes something negative; it may be related to the Mexican Spanish word “Grifo,” which means “cannabis smoker.”
Top Shelf
A designation for the highest-quality item on the market.
Vape
A device that releases cannabis components into a vapour that can be ingested at mild temperatures.
Wax
A shatter with a waxy substance produced by a unique heating and chilling process.
Zonked
A psychological cannabis-induced state where you’re between sleep and consciousness.
Now You Can Speak Cannabis
Congratulations, you now know the basics of cannabis etymology and slang.