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

Related Words

• drug
• heroin
• morphine
• opiate
• poppy