opium
UK: ˈəʊ.pi.əm | US: ˈoʊ.pi.əm
n. A highly addictive narcotic drug derived from the dried latex of the opium poppy, used medically as an analgesic.
n. (Figuratively) Something that induces a soothing or stupefying effect.
The word "opium" traces back to Ancient Greek ópion (ὄπιον), meaning "poppy juice," derived from opós (ὀπός), "juice" or "sap." This reflects the substance’s extraction method—collecting the latex from poppy seed pods. Latin adopted it as opium, retaining the original meaning. The term’s journey highlights its deep association with the plant’s natural properties and its historical role in medicine and trade.
Opium was widely used in 19th-century medicine for pain relief.
The addictive nature of opium led to global regulatory controls.
Poppy fields in Afghanistan are a major source of illicit opium production.
Some writers romanticized opium’s dreamlike effects in literature.
Modern derivatives like morphine are synthesized from opium alkaloids.