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420

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420¹

Where it comes from

So named because it is 420 centimetres long.

noun 420s

  1. A particular type of monohull dinghy with two sails, designed for two people.

420²

Where it comes from

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.

noun 4:20 · 4/20 · four-twenty · four twenty

  1. Canada, US, especially, slang, uncountable Cannabis. Sunday is 420 day, when lovers of marijuana get together to celebrate their fondness for weed.
  2. Canada, US, especially, slang, uncountable, usually Pertaining to cannabis, its consumption, or cannabis culture. Late nights at the recording studio were always 420 friendly.
  3. Canada, US, especially, slang, uncountable April 20 (abbreviated 4/20 in the US), as an occasion to celebrate cannabis culture.

420³

Where it comes from

From section 420 of the Indian Penal Code (and its corresponding versions in modern Pakistan and Bangladesh), which criminalizes cheating.

noun 420s

  1. Canada, South Asia, US, especially, slang fraudster, cheater, forger; a smooth operator

Talk about this word

Cite this
MLA

"420." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/420. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

420. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/420

Chicago

"420." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/420.

BibTeX
@misc{420_2026,
  title = {420},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/420},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}