Nicotine
WordNet
noun
(1) An alkaloid poison that occurs in tobacco; used in medicine and as an insecticide
WiktionaryText
Etymology
From Jean Nicot, French ambassador to Portugal, who sent tobacco seeds back to France in 1561.
Noun
- An alkaloid (C10H14N2), commonly occurring in the tobacco plant. In small doses it is a habit-forming stimulant, in larger doses it is toxic and is often used in insecticides. It is possibly a carcinogen, though this has not been evaluated and it has not been signed to an official carcinogen group.