morphine

[mawr-feen] /ˈmɔr fin/
noun, Pharmacology
1.
a white, bitter, crystalline alkaloid, C 1 7 H 1 9 NO 3 ⋅H 2 O, the most important narcotic and addictive principle of opium, obtained by extraction and crystallization and used chiefly in medicine as a pain reliever and sedative.
Also, morphia
[mawr-fee-uh] /ˈmɔr fi ə/ (Show IPA).
Origin
1820-30; < German Morphin. See Morpheus, -ine2
Related forms
morphinic
[mawr-fin-ik] /mɔrˈfɪn ɪk/ (Show IPA), adjective
Examples from the web for morphine
  • Field surgery is performed with rudimentary equipment and morphine is scarce.
  • He must have calculated how much morphine he could inject without losing control of a scalpel.
  • Researchers find that humans produce their own morphine.
  • The bloodstream floods with endorphins-the closest thing to morphine that the body produces.
  • The pain lessens and sleep comes when doctors start the morphine.
  • morphine acts on a part of the brain known as the opioid system, which is linked to pain, pleasure and addictive behaviors.
  • So one day patients might get the keys to their morphine.
  • After a few minutes a pharmacist appeared, carrying packages of morphine.
  • Essentially, they propose a village level system turning opium poppies into medicinal morphine for the developing world.
  • The work further showed that the fewer receptors, the less responsive the animals were to morphine.
British Dictionary definitions for morphine

morphine

/ˈmɔːfiːn/
noun
1.
an alkaloid extracted from opium: used in medicine as an analgesic and sedative, although repeated use causes addiction. Formula: C17H19NO3
Word Origin
C19: from French, from Morpheus
Word Origin and History for morphine
n.

chief alkaloid of opium, 1828, from French morphine or German Morphin (1816), name coined by German apothecary Friedrich Sertürner (1783-1840) in reference to Latin Morpheus, Ovid's name for the god of dreams, from Greek morphe "form, shape, beauty, outward appearance," perhaps from PIE *merph-, a possible Greek root meaning "form," of unknown origin. So called because of the drug's sleep-inducing properties.

morphine in Medicine

morphine mor·phine (môr'fēn')
n.
A bitter crystalline alkaloid extracted from opium, the soluble salts of which are used in medicine as an analgesic, a light anesthetic, or a sedative. Also called morphia.

morphine in Science
morphine
  (môr'fēn')   
A highly addictive drug derived from opium and used to treat intractable pain, as in severe injury or metastatic cancer.
morphine in Culture
morphine [(mawr-feen)]

An addictive drug derived from opium that is used as an analgesic and sedative.