morphine

noun

mor·​phine ˈmȯr-ˌfēn How to pronounce morphine (audio)
: a bitter crystalline addictive narcotic base C17H19NO3 that is the principal alkaloid of opium and is used in the form of a soluble salt (such as a hydrochloride or a sulfate) as an analgesic and sedative

Examples of morphine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Opioids such as heroin, morphine and methadone were the most common drugs connected to fatalities, being implicated in 937 deaths. Stephen Castle, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025 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 No one leaves the prison’s political section, where most of the inmates have been hooked on morphine. Peter Debruge, Variety, 27 Jan. 2025 One such drug, fentanyl – a synthetic opioid that’s 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine – is the leading reason U.S. overdose deaths have surged in recent years. Rodney Coates, The Conversation, 27 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for morphine 

Word History

Etymology

French, from Morpheus

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of morphine was in 1817

Dictionary Entries Near morphine

Cite this Entry

“Morphine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/morphine. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

morphine

noun
mor·​phine ˈmȯr-ˌfēn How to pronounce morphine (audio)
: a bitter white habit-forming narcotic drug made from opium and used especially to deaden pain
Etymology

derived from Morpheus "Greek god of dreams"

Medical Definition

morphine

noun
mor·​phine ˈmȯr-ˌfēn How to pronounce morphine (audio)
: a bitter crystalline addictive narcotic base C17H19NO3 that is the principal alkaloid of opium and is used in the form of its hydrated sulfate (C17H19NO3)2·H2SO4·5H2O or hydrated hydrochloride C17H19NO3·HCl·3H2O as an analgesic and sedative

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