# Word origin: Pothead **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 24, 2001, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-origin-pothead/70013 "2001-06-24T23:40:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2001, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-origin-pothead/70013/1 "2001-06-24T23:40:14Z")
I was in bed a while ago, trying to sleep and listening to The Beatles _Magical Mystery Tour_, when the question just floated into my head: Where did the term ‘POTHEAD’ come from? I tried searching the Straight Dope, and had no luck: either no ones asked this, or the question (and answer) are buried under a cryptic thread title. Anyway… anyone know the answer to this one? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2001, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-origin-pothead/70013/2 "2001-06-25T01:16:01Z")
Partridge says it’s pretty much from what you could have guessed – from “pot” meaning marijuana (he says “pot” may come from the Mexican Spanish “potiguaya”). “Head” had already meant “user” (i.e, dopehead, hop-head; there was even a form “piss-head” for a habitual drinker used in New Zealand in the 1930s.) ---
**Author:** ![MrWhy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9f8e36/32.png) [@MrWhy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrWhy)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2001, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-origin-pothead/70013/3 "2001-06-25T02:49:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RealityChuck \* > **[T]here was even a form “piss-head” for a habitual drinker used in New Zealand in the 1930s.** And in Australia in the 2000s. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2001, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-origin-pothead/70013/4 "2001-06-25T03:27:38Z")
**Iawoot** I think you really want to know where the term “pot” comes from, rather than Pothead. For instance, “dopehead” can be traced back to 1903 in print in the US, but it would be more interesting to know where the term “dope” for habit-forming drugs came from. So,—where does “pot” come from as applied to drugs? Is **RealityChuck’s** cite from Partridge > [@](#): > > Partridge says it’s pretty much from what you could have guessed – from “pot” meaning marijuana (he says “pot” may come from the Mexican Spanish “potiguaya”). correct? ---
**Author:** ![glyng](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ea5d25/32.png) [@glyng](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glyng)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-origin-pothead/70013/5 "2013-06-12T09:58:37Z")
World English Dictionary potty 1 (ˈpɒtɪ) — adj (foll by about or on ) , -tier , -tiest 1. foolish or slightly crazy 2. trivial or insignificant 3. very keen (about) [C19: perhaps from pot 1] ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-origin-pothead/70013/6 "2013-06-12T10:09:46Z")
Here’s a website with an etymology for the word “pot” as applying to marijuana: > **[Why Is Marijuana Also Called Pot? - Dictionary.com](https://www.dictionary.com/e/pot-marijuana/)** > > Weed. Mary Jane. Chronic. There are dozens of slang synonyms for marijuana. But one of the strangest is the word pot. How did the word for a common kitchen instrument become slang for marijuana? The origin of pot has nothing to do with the culinary... Here’s an old thread about the question: > **[Why is marijuana called "pot?"](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=331171)** > > Mankind’s favorite plant has a dazzling variety of slang terms - however, the one which is probably the most common of all is the one that seems to make the least sense. Why is it called “pot?”