Discover PevGrow's free cannabis dictionary

Have you ever wondered where all the cannabis terminology comes from? And are you sure you know the difference between BHO and DHO? Or between dioecious and monoecious?

So, are common terms for cannabis simply slang words used to discreetly refer to the plant, or is there a reason why Jamaicans call cannabis «ganja,” a term derived from India, for example? And why has cannabis been referred to as “ reefer » then «pot?"

There are at least 1,200 cannabis-related terms that enthusiasts have coined over the years. In fact, there are so many that an entire glossary could be written on the subject. And that’s exactly what PevGrow has done.

To get you started, here are 10 interesting words to explore. And if you'd like to learn more, you can check out and download the PevGrow's Cannabis Dictionary which contains more than 330 words spread over 55 pages.

• Mary Jane: a play on the word «marijuana,» just like Mary Jane, Mary Warner, Mary Weaver, and Mary and Johnny
• Cheeba: This term is a corrupted version of the Spanish word «chiva,» which refers to opium. The Spanish term began to be used to refer to Brazilian cannabis, which was black, sticky, and gooey, much like opium.
• Ganja : derived from a Hindi word referring to the hemp plant in India
• Grass: like a bush or shrub, referring to the color
• Weed: Among Rastafarians, who consume this substance as part of their religious practice, this term has been used to emphasize that it is «natural,» just like other herbs. In the same vein, the substance has been called «mother» and «Mother Nature,» as well as «noble weed» and «righteous bush.» Similarly, in Jamaica, due to a South Asian presence during the early days of the island’s colonial settlement, cannabis is also called «ganja.»
• Skunk : because of the plant's pungent odor, similar to that of a skunk
• Chronic: a term used to describe cannabis with powerful effects, popularized by Snoop Dogg
• Broccoli: a term popularized by rapper E40 because it is a green, healthy vegetable
• Pot: derived from the Spanish word for cannabis leaves, *potiguaya*
• Hashish : an Arabic term referring to the substance produced by compressing and processing certain parts of the cannabis plant, typically focusing on the flowers that contain the most trichomes, where all the THC is concentrated