thebaine

[ thee-buh-een, thi-bey-een, -in ]

noun

, Chemistry.

1. a white, crystalline, slightly water-soluble, poisonous alkaloid, C 19 H 21 NO 3 , present in opium in small quantities, but having a strychninelike rather than a narcotic effect.

thebaine

/ ˈθiːbəˌiːn; θɪˈbeɪiːn; -aɪn /

noun

1. a poisonous white crystalline alkaloid, found in opium but without opioid actions. Formula: C 19 H 21 NO 3 Also calledparamorphine

Word History and Origins

Origin of thebaine¹

1890–95; < New Latin thēba ( ia ) opium of Thebes, Egypt (alteration of Latin Thēbaea, feminine of Thēbaeus Theban) + -ine ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of thebaine¹

C19: from New Latin thebaia opium of Thebes (with reference to Egypt as a chief source of opium) + -ine ²

Example Sentences

Chloroform dissolves thebaine with difficulty out of both acid and alkaline solutions; petroleum ether extracts it from neither.

From Project Gutenberg