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Webster 1913 Edition

Opium

O′pi-um

,
Noun.
[L., fr. Gr. [GREEK] poppy juice, dim. of [GREEK] vegetable juice.]
(Chem.)
The inspissated juice of the
Papaver somniferum
, or white poppy.
☞ Opium is obtained from incisions made in the capsules of the plant, and the best flows from the first incision. It is imported into Europe and America chiefly from the Levant, and large quantities are sent to China from India, Persia, and other countries. It is of a brownish yellow color, has a faint smell, and bitter and acrid taste. It is a stimulant narcotic poison, which may produce hallicinations, profound sleep, or death. It is much used in medicine to soothe pain and inflammation, and is smoked as an intoxicant with baneful effects.
Opium joint
,
a low resort of opium smokers.
[Slang]

Webster 1828 Edition

Opium

O'PIUM

,
Noun.
[L. opium; Gr. from juice.]
Opium is the inspissated juice of the capsules of the papaver somniferum, or somniferous white poppy with which the fields in Asia Minor are sown, as ours are with wheat and rye. It flows from incisions made in the heads of the plant, and the best flows from the first incision. It is imported into Europe and America from the Levant and the East Indies. It is brought in cakes or masses weighing from eight ounces to a pound. It is heavy, of a dense texture, of a brownish yellow color, not perfectly dry, but easily receiving an impression from the finger; it has a dead and faint smell, and its taste is bitter and acrid. Opium is of great use as a medicine.

Definition 2024

Opium

Opium

See also: opium, ópium, and ópíum

German

Noun

Opium n ‎(genitive Opiums, plural Opiate)

  1. opium
    • Karl Marx, "Zur Kritik der Hegel'schen Rechts-Philosophie," in "Deutsch-Französische Jahrbücher," February, 1844
      Die Religion ist der Seufzer der bedrängten Kreatur, das Gemüth einer herzlosen Welt, wie sie der Geist geistloser Zustände ist. Sie ist das Opium des Volks."

opium

opium

See also: ópium, ópíum, and Opium

English

Noun

opium ‎(countable and uncountable, plural opiums or opia)

  1. (uncountable) A yellow-brown, addictive narcotic drug obtained from the dried juice of unripe pods of the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, and containing alkaloids such as morphine, codeine, and papaverine.
  2. (countable) Anything that numbs or stupefies.
    • "Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, . . . It is the opium of the people." - Karl Marx

Synonyms

  • See also Wikisaurus:recreational drug

Translations

Czech

Noun

opium n

  1. opium

French

Noun

opium m ‎(plural opiums)

  1. opium

Latin

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ὄπιον ‎(ópion).

Pronunciation

Noun

opium n ‎(genitive opiī); second declension

  1. opium, poppy-juice

Inflection

Second declension.

Case Singular Plural
nominative opium opia
genitive opiī opiōrum
dative opiō opiīs
accusative opium opia
ablative opiō opiīs
vocative opium opia

Descendants

References

Swedish

Noun

opium c

  1. opium (a drug)
    religionen är ett opium för folket
    religion is the opium of the people (Karl Marx)

Declension

Related terms

  • opiat
  • opioid
  • opiumalkaloid
  • opiumförbrukning
  • opiumhalt
  • opiumhandel
  • opiuminförsel
  • opiumkrig
  • opiummissbruk
  • opiumodling
  • opiumpipa
  • opiumpreparat
  • opiumproduktion
  • opiumtinktur
  • opiumvallmo

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈoːpiʊm/, [ˈʔoːpʰiʊm]

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