opium poppy

American  

noun

1. a Eurasian poppy, Papaver somniferum, having white, pink, red, or purple flowers, cultivated as the source of opium, for its oily seeds, and as an ornamental.

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opium poppy British  

noun

1. a poppy, Papaver somniferum, of SW Asia, with greyish-green leaves and typically white or reddish flowers: widely cultivated as a source of opium

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Etymology

Origin of opium poppy

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

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

There were projects to reduce opium poppy cultivation, promote women’s rights and hold credible elections.

From Washington Post • Aug. 30, 2021

The Taliban often deny their involvement in the drug industry, and take pride in having banned opium poppy cultivation for a period while in power in 2000.

From BBC • Aug. 27, 2021

The circles on the left represent the organisms that contributed genes to the bioengineered yeast: California poppy, rat, goldthread, bacteria, and opium poppy.

From The Verge • Aug. 13, 2015

The earnestness of the people has been strikingly illustrated in the great financial sacrifices made by farmers and landowners in sections where the opium poppy was formerly grown.

From Where Half The World Is Waking Up The Old and the New in Japan, China, the Philippines, and India, Reported With Especial Reference to American Conditions by Poe, Clarence Hamilton