narco

¹

[nahr-koh]

noun

Slang.

plural

narcos 

1. narc.

narco-

²

1. a combining form meaning “stupor,” “narcosis,” used in the formation of compound words.

   narcodiagnosis.

narco-

combining form

1. indicating numbness or torpor

   narcolepsy

2. connected with or derived from illicit drug production

   narcoeconomies

Word History and Origins

Origin of narco-¹

Shortening of narcotic; -o

Origin of narco-²

< Greek nárk ( ē ) numbness, stiffness + -o-

Word History and Origins

Origin of narco-¹

from Greek narkē numbness

Example Sentences

His fellow Republican senator, Bernie Moreno from Ohio, wrote: "Sinking this boat saved American lives. To the narco traffickers and the narco dictators, you'll eventually get the same treatment."

From BBC

Recalling how Veytia wielded power in his narco days, Schacht said, “If my client wanted to torture you, you would be dead.”

From Los Angeles Times

Spain's Policia Nacional said the gang used 11 so-called narco boats to smuggle the drugs across the Atlantic in a complex operation that involved using an abandoned wreck at sea as a refuelling platform.

From BBC

The 24-year-old performed at an annual fair in Aguascalientes state this month just days after the local authorities warned musicians not to play narco songs.

From Los Angeles Times

Plucked from Mexican prison cells, hustled onto planes in shackles and express-delivered into the waiting hands of American authorities were several notorious capos, whose alleged narco exploits have been chronicled in films, TV series and federal indictments spanning decades.

From Los Angeles Times

When To Use

What does narco- mean?

Narco- is a combining form used like a prefix referring to narcosis. In some instances, narco- is used to refer to various aspects of the trade of illegal drugs trade, i.e., narcotics.Narcosis is a state of stupor or drowsiness, especially as induced by narcotics. Narcotics include drugs such as opiates, heroin, marijuana, and alcohol.Narco- is often used in medical and scientific terms, including in pathology and psychiatry, and often refers to narcotic drugs.Narco- comes from the Greek nárkē, meaning “numbness, stiffness.”Note that narco and narc are slang for a government agent or detective charged with the enforcement of laws restricting the use of narcotics.Both narco and narc are shortened from narcotic, which as you may have guessed, also comes from the Greek nárkē. Narc is sometimes spelled as nark and, while the two terms somewhat overlap in slang sense, nark as slang for “informer” comes from a completely different origin than narcotic. Discover its surprising source at our entry for nark.What are variants of narco-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, narco- becomes narc-, as in narcoma.