cannabis

Noun

Synonyms: hemp marijuana marihuana ganja

WordNet 3.0

Noun (2)

any plant of the genus Cannabis; a coarse bushy annual with palmate leaves and clusters of small green flowers; yields tough fibers and narcotic drugsSynonyms: hemp
the most commonly used illicit drug; considered a soft drug, it consists of the dried leaves of the hemp plant; smoked or chewed for euphoric effectSynonyms: marijuana marihuana ganja

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Cannabis \Can"na*bis\, prop. n. [L., hemp. See Canvas.]

1.(Bot.) A genus of a single species belonging to the order Uricace[ae]; hemp. [1913 Webster]

2.The Indian hemp plant plant Cannabis sativa syn. Cannabis Indica. See Cannabis Indica, below. [PJC]

Cannabis Indica, the Indian hemp, now considered a variety of the common hemp (Cannabis sativa), originating in Asia but now grown widely around the world. It can be formed into a tough fiber that is used to make rope and tough fabric. The dried leaves and female flowers are smoked or chewed by people to produce a euphoric or hallucinogenic effect, caused mainly by the substance tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) contained in it. The THC-containing products of Cannabis are classified as a controlled substance, and posession and sale are illegal in most states of the United States. Once classified as a narcotic, the plant is now more commonly referred to in the category of euphoric or hallucinogenic agents. [1913 Webster +PJC]