nicotine

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree French Nicot Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Indo-European *-iHnos Proto-Italic *-īnos Latin -īnus French -in Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂ Proto-Italic *-ā Latin -am Old French -e French -e French -ine French nicotinebor. English nicotine Borrowed from French nicotine, equivalent to Nicot + -ine, named after Jean Nicot (1530–1604), the French ambassador to Portugal, who sent tobacco seeds back to France in 1561. The etymology of the surname itself is unclear.

1. An alkaloid (C₁₀H₁₄N₂), commonly occurring in the tobacco plant.

   “She is addicted to nicotine.”

   “The nicotine in tobacco has been held to produce anaphrodisiac effects, in spite of such literary commendation as J.M. Barrie's My Lady Nicotine.”

2. Tobacco or cigarettes.

   “He's got nicotine stains on his fingers.”