420 en · NOUN · etymology 2
Pronunciation
Etymology
Likely influenced by the time (4:20 pm) a particular group would meet in search of marijuana, circa 1971; subsequently spread as a cipher through the San Francisco Bay area and adopted among Grateful Dead fans.
Meanings
-
(Canada, US, especially, slang, uncountable) Cannabis.
Sunday is 420 day, when lovers of marijuana get together to celebrate their fondness for weed.
2025 April 20, Sandee LaMotte, “Marijuana hospital visits linked to dementia diagnosis within 5 years, study finds”, in CNN:
-
(Canada, US, as a modifier, especially, slang, uncountable, usually) Pertaining to cannabis, its consumption, or cannabis culture.
Late nights at the recording studio were always 420 friendly.
- (Canada, US, especially, slang, uncountable) April 20 (abbreviated 4/20 in the US), as an occasion to celebrate cannabis culture.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| four twenty | alternative | lexicographic | |
| four-twenty | alternative | lexicographic | |
| 4:20 | alternative | lexicographic | |
| 4/20 | alternative | lexicographic |