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 Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Bradford Betz, Fox News, 18 Oct. 2024 Fentanyl is at least 100 times more potent than morphine. Ryan Hampton, TIME, 24 Sep. 2024 Ancient Egyptians soothed their wounds with aloe-vera gel; morphine and codeine came from the opium poppy; Ozempic was inspired by a peptide in lizard venom. Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2024 Fentanyl is up to 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine and can be deadly even in small doses, according to the CDC. Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 15 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for morphine 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'morphine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 5 Nov. 2024.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on morphine

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