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hemp

noun
\ ˈhemp How to pronounce hemp (audio) \

Definition of hemp

1a : a tall widely cultivated Asian herb (Cannabis sativa of the family Cannabaceae, the hemp family) that is cultivated for its tough bast fiber and edible seeds and oil and that is often separated into a tall loosely branched species (C. sativa) and a low-growing densely branched species (C. indica)

Note: Cultivated hemp is often distinguished from cannabis by possessing very low levels of the psychoactive substance THC.

b : the fiber of hemp … hemp can produce superb paper and construction materials lighter and stronger than lumber.— Ted Williams —often used before another noun hemp ropea hemp shirt
c : marijuana also : hashish
2 : a fiber (such as jute) from a plant other than the true hemp also : a plant yielding such fiber

Examples of hemp in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

 Slightly confusing fact: CBD derived from hemp and marijuana is identical. — Cotton Codinha, Allure, "A Beginner’s Guide to Common CBD Terms and What They Mean," 8 Aug. 2019 Both hemp and marijuana are sources for CBD-rich cannabis oils. — Cindy Krischer Goodman, chicagotribune.com, "Buyer beware: CBD products could be this century’s snake oil," 23 July 2019 Popular choices include the Green Bowl (with organic graviola, spirulina and hemp seeds), Dragon Bowl (featuring organic pitaya, coconut milk and bananas) and Vitality Bowl (with organic açaí, strawberries and honey). — Joey Morona, cleveland.com, "Vitality Bowls brings açaí bowl craze to Rocky River," 28 June 2019 Advertisers can run ads that direct to landing pages that feature ingestible hemp and topical CBD. — Casey Newton, The Verge, "Project Veritas’ YouTube sting was deeply misleading — and successful," 27 June 2019 But hemp, and its potential uses, require further research through classes like Berkowitz’s to determine if its purported positive effects are genuine or placebo. — Shannon Larson, courant.com, "UConn to roll out online cannabis course this summer, the first of its kind in the nation," 17 June 2019 Flax seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts and their oils, as well as chia seeds are especially good sources. — Ellie Krieger, The Seattle Times, "How to fight dry winter skin from the inside out," 5 Feb. 2019 Breakfast is yogurt topped with granola, fruit, almonds and hemp seeds or eggs and spinach. — Jen Murphy, WSJ, "A Climber Still Seeking New Peaks Later in Life," 26 Jan. 2019 The dairy industry has complained for almost 20 years that the FDA hasn’t policed this definition as products made from soy, almonds, cashews, rice, hemp, and oats have filled shelves in the dairy aisle. — Umair Irfan, Vox, "“Fake milk”: why the dairy industry is boiling over plant-based milks," 31 Aug. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hemp.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of hemp

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

History and Etymology for hemp

Middle English, from Old English hænep; akin to Old High German hanaf hemp, Greek kannabis

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More Definitions for hemp

hemp

noun
How to pronounce hemp (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of hemp

: a plant that is used to make thick ropes and some drugs (such as hashish and marijuana)

See the full definition for hemp in the English Language Learners Dictionary

hemp

noun
\ ˈhemp How to pronounce hemp (audio) \

Kids Definition of hemp

: a tall Asian plant grown for its tough woody fiber that is used especially in making rope and for its flowers and leaves that yield drugs (as marijuana)

hemp

noun
\ ˈhemp How to pronounce hemp (audio) \

Medical Definition of hemp

1 : a tall widely cultivated Asian herb of the genus Cannabis (C. sativa) that is cultivated for its strong woody fiber and edible seeds and oil and that is often separated into a tall loosely branched species (C. sativa) and a low-growing densely branched species (C. indica)

Note: Cultivated hemp is often distinguished from cannabis by possessing very low levels of the psychoactive substance THC.

2 : the fiber of hemp
3 : marijuana sense 1 also : hashish

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