What does "hemp" mean?
A tall annual herb, Cannabis sativa, native to Asia.
Hemp
/hɛmp/ name, noun, slang
name, noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A tall annual herb, Cannabis sativa, native to Asia.
- Grammar: hemp is listed as name, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: acid, antidepressant, ataractic, ax.
- Useful contrasts: drug cannabis, nonhemp, synthetic.
- Usage evidence: We were at the mill, near the hemp field.
How to use "hemp"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "hemp" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "hemp" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "hemp" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "hemp" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "hemp" is acting as name, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "acid" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "hemp", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A tall annual herb, Cannabis sativa, native to Asia. countable, uncountable
"Among Turks, pills consisting of hemp buds, muscat nuts, saffron, and honey were a popular aphrodisiac."
- 2 Acronym of high-altitude electromagnetic pulse. abbreviation, acronym, alt-of
"The Ministry of National Defense (MND) has confirmed the Navy has hardened bases against a High-Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse (HEMP) attack but denied that a new base had been specifically built for this purpose.[…] On Monday (Oct. 30), RW News cited sources familiar with the matter as saying the Navy has already completed a base in New Taipei City's Sanzhi District that can withstand HEMP attacks.[…] If China was to launch a HEMP attack, the base in Sanzhi would probably still be able to command the launch of Hsiung Feng II and Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missile launchers in northern coastal areas, as well as shore-based Harpoon anti-ship missiles. The firing of such missiles would prevent PLA Navy (PLAN) ships from entering the northern and northeastern waters of the Taiwan Strait. When asked to confirm that a new base has been built in Sanzhi District to withstand a HEMP attack, Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) on Monday (Oct. 30) said the work was part of an ongoing project, reported Liberty Times."
- 3 a rope that is used by a hangman to execute persons who have been condemned to death by hanging wordnet
- 4 Various products of this plant, including fibres and the drug cannabis. countable, uncountable
- 5 any plant of the genus Cannabis; a coarse bushy annual with palmate leaves and clusters of small green flowers; yields tough fibers and narcotic drugs wordnet
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 The gallows. countable, historical, slang, uncountable
"A hundred and fifty years ago, Cotton Mather bewails the carnal attractions of the tavern and the training field, and tells of an old Indian, who imperfectly understood the English tongue but desperately mastered enough of it to express a desire for instant hemp rather than listen to any more ghostly consolations."
- 7 a plant fiber wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"We were at the mill, near the hemp field."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "hemp"?
Common synonyms include: acid, antidepressant, ataractic, ax, bast fiber, belladonna.
How do you use "hemp" in a sentence?
We were at the mill, near the hemp field.
How do you pronounce "hemp"?
Pronounced /hɛmp/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English hemp, from Old English henep, from Proto-West Germanic *hanapi, from Proto-Germanic *hanapiz. Doublet of cannabis and canvas.
Etymology 2
* As a German surname, pet form of the old Germanic name Hembrecht, composed of *haim (“home”) and *berht (“bright”). * As an English surname, variant of Hamp.