opiate

American  

[oh-pee-it, -eyt, oh-pee-eyt] / ˈoʊ pi ɪt, -ˌeɪt, ˈoʊ piˌeɪt /

noun

• opiates
  plural

1. Biochemistry, Pharmacology. a drug containing opium or its derivatives, used in medicine for inducing sleep and relieving pain.

   The opium poppy yields morphine, codeine, and other opiates.

2. Biochemistry, Pharmacology. any sedative, soporific, or narcotic.

   Back then, the country physician would concoct all sorts of opiates in a crude kitchen laboratory.

   Synonyms:

   drug

   Antonyms:

   stimulant

3. anything that causes dullness or inaction or that soothes the feelings.

   His favorite opiate seems to be a six-pack in front of the TV.

   Synonyms:

   anodyne

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adjective

1. Biochemistry, Pharmacology. mixed or prepared with opium.

   Some opiate substances, such as thebaine, may be more toxic than narcotic.

2. Biochemistry, Pharmacology. inducing sleep; soporific; narcotic.

   Subjects were given a variety of opiate teas over the course of a four-week study.

   Synonyms:

   sedative

3. causing dullness or inaction.

   The opiate effects of their droning reprimands were legendary.

verb (used with object)

opiated, opiating

1. to subject to an opiate; stupefy.

   The violent patients were routinely opiated.

2. to dull or deaden.

   This dreadful music is opiating my spirit.

opiate British  

noun

1. any of various narcotic drugs, such as morphine and heroin, that act on opioid receptors

2. any other narcotic or sedative drug

3. something that soothes, deadens, or induces sleep

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adjective

1. containing or consisting of opium

2. inducing relaxation; soporific

verb

1. to treat with an opiate

2. to dull or deaden

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unopiated
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• opiates
  plural

Etymology

Origin of opiate

First recorded in 1525–35; from Middle French, from Medieval Latin opiātus “bringing sleep,” equivalent to Latin opi(um) “poppy juice” + adjective suffix -ātus; see origin at opium, -ate ¹

Explanation

An opiate is a drug such as morphine or heroin that is derived from opium. Used figuratively, it means something that calms or soothes. Karl Marx famously said that religion was the opiate of the masses, which means he thought that it was religion that prevented working-class people from rising up against their leaders. Today, you might say that television has replaced religion as a mass opiate, but you'd need to say that during a commercial for anyone to pay much attention.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

opiate opiates

Sir Peter was also criticised by family members of patients who died after being given opiate drugs at Gosport War Memorial Hospital between 1987 and 2001.

From BBC ● Apr. 9, 2020

People who have co-occurring mental health disorders, especially ones that require medication, or who use treatments such as methadone and buprenorphine for opiate use disorder don’t always feel welcome in the recovery community.

From Slate ● Oct. 29, 2017

To date, 31 states have expanded Medicaid eligibility since 2014, helping to drive a historic reduction in the number of uninsured Americans — including many of those now struggling with opiate addiction.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2017

These new episodes put faces on tales of illegal immigration, the dark side of agribusiness, opiate addiction, abortion law and our lopsided justice system.

From Salon ● Mar. 11, 2017

There was no possibility of an opiate just at present, and no need of one; and so, without a moment’s delay, we began the operation.

From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker

Bonus: I need no more arthritis meds, no more opiates, no more braces and no cane.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 5, 2024

Yet the most widely used analgesics today are essentially folk remedies that have served for centuries: morphine and other opiates derive from the opium poppy, and aspirin comes from willow bark.

From Scientific American ● Oct. 10, 2021

This is, to put it mildly, a measured way to respond to a question about McKinsey’s record suggesting ways to “turbocharge” sales of opiates and identifying online dissidents for repressive regimes.

From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2019

Get these pain patients off opiates and off gut-destroying doses of NSAIDs and on this safe effective alternative?

From New York Times ● Nov. 8, 2017

The pillow smells of his lime pomade and she breathes it in, sobbing . . . . . . until, drugged by weeping’s opiates, she falls asleep.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Related Words

• narcotic
• opium
• sedative
• tranquilizer