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opium poppy
noun
: an annual Eurasian poppy (Papaver somniferum) cultivated since antiquity as the source of opium, for its edible oily seeds, or for its showy flowers
Examples of opium poppy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That shouldn’t have been surprising — poppy seeds, like the ones in Horton’s salad, are derived from the opium poppy plant and contain codeine.
—Shoshana Walter, USA TODAY, 9 Sep. 2024
Ancient Egyptians soothed their wounds with aloe-vera gel; morphine and codeine came from the opium poppy; Ozempic was inspired by a peptide in lizard venom.
—Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2024
Mandrake, hellebore, hyoscyamus, opium poppy, ergot fungi, peyote, cannabis.
—Martha McPhee, Vogue, 24 July 2024
For decades, farmers in southern Afghanistan relied on opium poppies to make a living in their parched desert landscape.
—Carolyn Van Houten, Washington Post, 21 June 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1849, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near opium poppy
Cite this Entry
“Opium poppy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opium%20poppy. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
opium poppy
noun
: an annual Eurasian poppy grown for opium, for its edible oily seeds, and for its showy flowers
Medical Definition
opium poppy
noun
: an annual Eurasian poppy (Papaver somniferum) cultivated since antiquity as the source of opium, for its edible oily seeds, or for its showy flowers
More from Merriam-Webster on opium poppy
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about opium poppy
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