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
See all Example Sentences for opium 
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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
See all Example Sentences for opium
Dictionary Entries Near opium
Cite this Entry
“Opium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opium. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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