opiate
UK: ˈəʊpiət | US: ˈoʊpiət
n. 1. A drug containing opium, used to relieve pain or induce sleep.
n. 2. Something that soothes or dulls the senses, often metaphorically.
vt. 1. To dull or soothe with or as if with an opiate.
The word "opiate" traces back to the Latin opium, borrowed from Greek opion, which originally meant "poppy juice." The suffix -ate was added in Late Middle English to form a noun denoting a derivative of opium, later extending to metaphorical uses for anything soothing or numbing. The logic reflects the dual nature of opiates: literal pain relief and figurative emotional dulling.
The doctor prescribed an opiate to manage her chronic pain.
Some critics argue that social media acts as an opiate, distracting people from real issues.
The government regulates opiates strictly due to their addictive potential.
He tried to opiate his grief with excessive drinking.
Ancient civilizations used opiates for both medicinal and ritual purposes.