morphine
A crystalline alkaloid (4,5-epoxy-17-methyl-7,8-didehydromorphinan-3,6-diol), extracted from opium, the salts of which are soluble in water and are used as analgesics, anaesthetics and sedatives; it is one of a group of morphine alkaloids.
Related words
- morphinate
- amorphinism
- apomorphine
- benzylmorphine
- demorphinization
- demorphinize
- desomorphine
- diacetylmorphine
- dihydromorphine
- ethylmorphine
- hydromorphinol
- methyldihydromorphine
Word history
From Ancient Greek "Μορφεύς" (the god and personification of dreams).
Where this comes from
This definition is adapted from “morphine” on Wiktionary, by its contributors, published under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page is published under the same licence.