opium

American  

[oh-pee-uhm] / ˈoʊ pi əm /

noun

1. the dried, condensed juice of a poppy, Papaver somniferum, that has a narcotic, soporific, analgesic, and astringent effect and contains morphine, codeine, papaverine, and other alkaloids used in medicine in their isolated or derived forms: a narcotic substance, poisonous in large doses.

2. anything that causes dullness or inaction or that soothes the mind or emotions.

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opium British  

/ ˈəʊpɪəm /

noun

1. the dried juice extracted from the unripe seed capsules of the opium poppy that contains alkaloids such as morphine and codeine: used in medicine as an analgesic

2. something having a tranquillizing or stupefying effect

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opium Scientific  

/ ō′pē-əm /

1. A highly addictive, yellowish-brown drug obtained from the pods of a variety of poppy, from which other drugs, such as morphine, are prepared.

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opium Cultural  

1. A highly addictive drug obtained from the poppy plant. Several other drugs, such as morphine and codeine, are derived from opium.

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Etymology

Origin of opium

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin < Greek ópion poppy juice, equivalent to op ( ós ) sap, juice + -ion diminutive suffix

Example Sentences

The Los Angeles Times ran a particularly snarky article around the time of the 1943 concert that dismissed the singer as “an opium of emotionalism.”

From The Wall Street Journal

So, when the anti-opium movement tried to constrain the British Empire from selling opium, the British deflected the blame onto the Chinese demand for it.

From Los Angeles Times

A state media news outlet described online games as “spiritual opium,” an allusion to past eras when addiction to the drug was widespread in China.

From Seattle Times

Charles Yates, NCA deputy director, said he did not believe there was currently a direct link between the availability of nitazenes and the ban of harvesting opium poppies in Afghanistan, which some have suggested.

From BBC

Ali was a member of an elite unit known as Commando Force 333, set up in 2003 by the UK to counter Afghanistan's growing problems with opium production.

From BBC

Related Words

• drug
• heroin
• morphine
• opiate
• poppy