What does addict mean?
An addict is a person who has developed a dependence on a substance — most commonly a drug or alcohol — such that stopping causes physical or psychological distress. The word also functions as a verb: to addict someone means to render them dependent on something. In everyday informal use, 'addict' extends beyond substances to describe enthusiastic devotees of any consuming interest, as in 'a chocolate addict' or 'a news addict'. This figurative sense is usually affectionate rather than clinical. The word carries significant weight in medical and social contexts, where it describes a serious health condition; modern usage guidance increasingly favours person-first phrasing such as 'person struggling with addiction' to avoid stigmatising labels. Derived forms include 'addicted', 'addiction', and 'addictive'. Understanding 'addict' matters because it sits at the intersection of medicine, law, and casual speech, shifting register from playful to grave depending on context.
A person who is physically or psychologically dependent on a particular substance, especially a drug; also, informally, an enthusiastic devotee of a specified interest.
"As a recovering addict, she attends three support meetings each week."
In formal and clinical contexts, person-first alternatives such as 'person with a substance use disorder' are often preferred.
To cause someone to become dependent on a substance; to devote or habituate oneself to something.
"Doctors worry that over-prescribing opioids will addict patients unnecessarily."
Usually used passively ('be addicted to') or reflexively ('addict oneself to'); the active transitive form is less common.
Standard pluralisation applies; no irregular form exists.
"The shelter provides housing for dozens of recovering addicts."
In ancient Rome, an 'addictus' was a debtor legally enslaved to his creditor — the word literally meant 'awarded over' or 'bound to,' which is why we still say someone is 'addicted to' whatever holds them captive.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of addict
Addict derives from the Latin 'addictus', the past participle of 'addicere', meaning 'to award over' or 'to assign by decree'. In Roman law an 'addictus' was a debtor formally bound over to his creditor as a slave. The word entered English in the late sixteenth century meaning one awarded or devoted to another, and by the seventeenth century it had come to mean someone given over to a habit or pursuit. It shares its Latin root with 'dedicate' and 'indict', both ultimately tracing back to the Latin 'dicere', 'to say or declare'.
Related word forms
How addict is actually used
When used informally for hobbies ('a fitness addict', 'a coffee addict'), the term is generally lighthearted. When referring to substance dependence, it should be used with care: many style guides and health organisations now prefer 'person with a substance use disorder' over 'addict', since the noun can carry stigma when applied to people directly.
Easily confused with addict
'Addition' means the act of adding something or the result of adding numbers, while 'addict' refers to a person dependent on a substance or activity — they differ by only one letter but are entirely unrelated in meaning.