narco

¹ American  

[nahr-koh] / ˈnɑr koʊ /

noun

Slang.

plural

narcos

1. narc.

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narco- ² American  

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

   narcodiagnosis.

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narco- British  

combining form

1. indicating numbness or torpor

   narcolepsy

2. connected with or derived from illicit drug production

   narcoeconomies

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Usage

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.

Etymology

Origin of narco¹

Shortening of narcotic; -o

Origin of narco-²

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

Example Sentences

Colombia and Ecuador punished each other with dueling levies Thursday on fuel and other imports, escalating a trade and diplomatic feud over narco activity on their shared border.

From Barron's • Jan. 22, 2026

“The United States will continue to pursue the illicit movement of sanctioned oil that is used to fund narco terrorism in the region,” Noem said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 22, 2025

If “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody” were set in a narco kingpin’s palatial hide-out, it might look something like “Down the Rabbit Hole,” from the Mexican director Manolo Caro.

From New York Times • May 31, 2024

The 15-page memo spells out a secret DEA plan directing confidential informants to record Venezuelan officials suspected of converting the South American country into a narco state.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 31, 2024

How long have you been writing about narco culture in Latin America?

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 14, 2023