street name

plural street names

1. The slang term for a drug when it is traded as a street drug.

   They said they'd never heard of medetomidine, but when the cop referred to it by its street name — rhino tranq — their ears perked up.

   2 more examples

   Ecstasy is the commercially inspired American street name of MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethylamphetamine), a unique psychostimulant drug with both stimulant and hallucinogenic effects.

   2001, Andrew Campbell, The Australian Illicit Drug Guide, Black Inc., →ISBN, page 100

   2008 January 19, Peter Sagal (host), Wait, Wait...Don’t Tell Me!, National Public Radio Police quickly determined that the street name for holy sand was “cocaine” and said that the man’s arrest has made them think twice about the holy tic tacs and holy parsley they’ve seen lately.

2. A person’s nickname on the street, such as a gangster or mafia name; (loosely) any nickname.

   They said they'd never heard of Mister Dzhugashvili, but when the cop referred to him by his street name — Stalin — their ears perked up.

   2 more examples

   “May I start calling you Severo? Doesn't that sound slick? It could be your street name, your punk name.” She battered her eyelashes.

   2008, Anthony Swofford, Exit A, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN

   Boyd asked, “What is your street name?” Mark said, “I'm called Two Fingers Mark.”

   2013, Maya Angelou, Mom and Me and Mom, Little, Brown Book Group, →ISBN

3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see street, name.

   Holonym: street address

   1 more example

   I know where Eric's house is, but I've forgotten the street name.