-nico-

n. [ F. nicotiane; -- so called from Nicot, who introduced it into France, a. d. 1560. ] Tobacco. [ R. ] B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to, or derived from, tobacco. [ R. ] Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖prop. n. [ NL. See Nicotian. ] (Bot.) A genus of American and Asiatic solanaceous herbs, with viscid foliage and funnel-shaped blossoms. Several species yield tobacco. See Tobacco. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. nicotianine. See Nicotian. ] (Chem.) A white waxy substance having a hot, bitter taste, extracted from tobacco leaves and called also tobacco camphor. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Chem.) Nicotinic. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Nicotine + pyridine. ] (Chem.) A complex, oily, nitrogenous base, isomeric with nicotine, and obtained by the reduction of certain derivatives of the pyridine group. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. nicotine. See Nicotian. ] (Chem.) An alkaloid which is the active principle of tobacco (C10H14N2). It occurs in tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum and Nicotiana rusticum) to the extent of 2 to 8%, in combination with malic acid or citric acid. It is a colorless, transparent, oily liquid, having an acrid odor, and an acrid burning taste. It is intensely poisonous. The apparently addictive effects of tobacco smoking have been ascribed largely to the effect of nicotine, and the controlled administration of nicotine on various forms has been used as a technique for assisting efforts to stop the smoking habit. Ure. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

a. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or derived from, nicotine; nicotic; -- used specifically to designate an acid related to pyridine, obtained by the oxidation of nicotine, and called nicotinic acid. [ 1913 Webster ]