opium

noun

opi·​um ˈō-pē-əm 

1

: a bitter brownish addictive narcotic drug that consists of the dried latex obtained from immature seed capsules of the opium poppy

2

: something having an effect like that of opium

Examples of opium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Poppy seeds, commonly found in baked goods and pastries, can contain opium alkaloids like morphine and codeine, which are Schedule II drugs banned for military personnel under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. —Dario Sabaghi, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024

Last year, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) labeled the region the world’s largest source of opium. —Rebecca Wright, CNN, 19 Oct. 2024

This slice of country music wouldn’t sound out of place in an opium den, and its references to radio valves and Ensenada lend it a tinge of old-world charm. —Henry Everingham, SPIN, 17 Oct. 2024

While poppy seeds are exempt from drug control under the Controlled Substances Act, opium contaminants on the seeds are not, the agency said. —David Hilzenrath, CNN, 3 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Latin, "latex of the opium poppy, drug made from this latex," borrowed from Greek ópion, diminutive of opós "plant juice, latex," going back (with generalization of Ionic loss of h-) to Indo-European *sok^wo-, whence also Old Church Slavic sokŭ "juice," Lithuanian sakaĩ "resin"

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing opium

• opium poppy

Kids Definition

opium

noun

opi·​um ˈō-pē-əm 

1

: a bitter brownish narcotic drug that causes addiction and is the dried juice of the unripe fruit capsule of the opium poppy

2

: something having an effect like that of opium

Medical Definition

opium

noun

opi·​um ˈō-pē-əm 

: a highly addictive drug that consists of the dried milky juice from the seed capsules of the opium poppy obtained from incisions made in the unripe capsules of the plant, that has a brownish yellow color, a faint smell, and a bitter and acrid taste, that is a stimulant narcotic usually producing a feeling of well-being, hallucinations, and drowsiness terminating in coma or death if the dose is excessive, that was formerly used in medicine to soothe pain but is now often replaced by derivative alkaloids (as morphine or codeine) or synthetic substitutes, and that is smoked illicitly as an intoxicant with harmful effects