n. 1 a reddish-brown heavy-scented addictive drug prepared from the juice of the opium poppy, used in medicine as an analgesic and narcotic. 2 anything regarded as soothing or stupefying. opium den a haunt of opium-smokers. opium poppy a poppy, Papaver somniferum, native to Europe and E. Asia, with white, red, pink, or purple flowers.
[ ME f. L f. Gk opion poppy-juice f. opos juice ]