opium
[ oh-pee-uh m ]
/ ˈoʊ pi əm /
noun
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.
anything that causes dullness or inaction or that soothes the mind or emotions.
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Origin of opium
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin < Greek ópion poppy juice, equivalent to op(ós) sap, juice + -ion diminutive suffix
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for opium
British Dictionary definitions for opium
opium
/ (ˈəʊpɪəm) /
noun
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
something having a tranquillizing or stupefying effect
Word Origin for opium
C14: from Latin: poppy juice, from Greek opion, diminutive of opos juice of a plant
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for opium
opium
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for opium
opium
[ ō′pē-əm ]
n.
A bitter, yellowish-brown, strongly addictive narcotic drug prepared from the dried juice of unripe pods of the opium poppy and containing alkaloids such as morphine, codeine, and papaverine.meconium
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Science definitions for opium
opium
[ ō′pē-əm ]
A highly addictive, yellowish-brown drug obtained from the pods of a variety of poppy, from which other drugs, such as morphine, are prepared.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Culture definitions for opium
opium
A highly addictive drug obtained from the poppy plant. Several other drugs, such as morphine and codeine, are derived from opium.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.