cannabis

The word 'cannabis' entered English as a direct Latin loanword, preserving its classical botanical name. The Latin term was borrowed from the ancient Greek kánnabis, which Greek historians like Herodotus recorded as a Scythian word for the plant used both for fiber and in vapor baths. This linguistic journey reflects the plant's historical trade and cultural diffusion from Central Asia into the Mediterranean world and eventually Europe. The modern English term retains its original referent but has become specifically associated with the plant's psychoactive properties in contemporary legal and social contexts.

The word is a simplex loanword. It is a direct borrowing from Latin cannabis, which itself came from Greek kánnabis, a term for the hemp plant. Its ultimate origin is likely Scythian or Thracian, non-Indo-European languages of the regions where the plant was cultivated.