recreational drug
3
4.4
- noun
- /ˌrɛkrɪˈeɪʃənl drʌg/
- NSFW
:
droga recreativa
- The NCAA currently conducts tests for performance-enhancing substances, such as steroids and amphetamines, and for recreational drugs, such as marijuana (NCAA, 1998).
- recreational drug use
Alcohol tends to be a recreational drug and cigarettes are more like heroin.
- Alcohol tends to be a recreational drug and cigarettes are more like heroin.
- You don't want Novichok's being made or, or explosives being made or, or recreational drugs being made.
- No, I've learned some very specific things in my travelling about the, the negative effects of, of drugs, of recreational drugs.
- No, I went to my boyfriend's house and I did recreational drugs instead.
- I've never been into massively into recreational drugs.
- I just drank water and took the recreational drug like weed, ecstasy, speed.
- I experimented through recreational drugs, cocaine, ecstasy, weed, Valium, alcohol.
Examples
-
The author concluded that emergency physicians should be aware of the current use of pregabalin as a recreational drug.
Academic text (2018) -
Marijuana is a well-known plant due to its use among some people as a recreational drug.
Blog text (32) -
Have you had any recreational drugs during this period?
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This is a perfect time for recreational drugs.
-
Do you use recreational drugs?
Academic text (2012) -
Why don't we take recreational drugs and enjoy ourselves?
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Some cough and cold medicines are used as "recreational" drugs, often by young teens.
Academic text (2006) -
I actually advocate the legalization of most recreational drugs, particularly marijuana.
-
Fifty-three percent reported recreational drug use before prostitution entry, and 76% reported becoming regular users following prostitution entry.
Academic text (2000) -
Many young adults experiment with recreational drugs at music festivals.
Synonyms
1
5.8
A drug taken for pleasure that changes how you think and can cause addiction or harm
Antonyms
How Addictive
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'recreational' (relating to leisure/pleasure) modifies 'drug' (a chemical substance), yielding 'a drug used for pleasure rather than medical purposes.' This adjective+noun pattern is common and cross-linguistically transparent, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Recreational drug comes from recreational, meaning 'done for fun' or in free time, and drug, a substance people take; together they paint the picture of something used for enjoyment rather than health. So, the phrase means a drug taken for pleasure, not 'for medical reasons'.