morphine

IPA/ˈmɔːfiːn/
KK[mˈɔrfin]IPA/ˈmɔːrfiːn/

morphine — noun

1. a strong substance taken from opium that is used in medicine to take away severe

1.nounB2
Definition

a strong substance taken from opium that is used in medicine to take away severe pain, often after an operation or for people with serious long-term illnesses such as cancer.

Example

After her surgery, the nurse gave Abigail a dose of morphine to ease the pain.

collocation: dose of morphine

The doctor explained that morphine could help Sahil's father rest more easily at night.

morphine + help + infinitive

Common collocations
  • administer morphine
  • inject morphine
  • a dose of morphine
  • on morphine
  • morphine addiction
  • morphine withdrawal
  • morphine drip
  • morphine overdose
Synonyms
  • opioid

    a broader category of pain-relieving substances; morphine is one specific type of opioid

  • painkiller

    a much more general everyday term; a painkiller could be a mild over-the-counter drug, while morphine is a very strong, prescription-only painkiller

  • narcotic

    emphasises the addictive and sleep-inducing properties; carries a stronger legal and regulatory connotation than morphine

  • heroin

    also derived from morphine but an illegal street drug; much more addictive and faster-acting than pharmaceutical morphine

  • laudanum

    a historical alcohol-based tincture that contained morphine; now rarely used in modern medicine

Grammar Patterns

morphine + verb

dose/amount + of + morphine

on + morphine

Usage Note

Morphine is an uncountable noun, so it is never used with an indefinite article (❌ "a morphine", ✅ "morphine"). It is a controlled substance in most countries due to its high potential for addiction.

Common Mistakes

The nurse gave him a morphine for the pain.
The nurse gave him morphine for the pain.
morphine is uncountable and does not take an article when referring to the substance in general.
He was addicted to morphia for years.
He was addicted to morphine for years.
morphia is an old-fashioned variant; the modern standard term is morphine.

Word family

  • morphia
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All five words relate to substances that reduce pain, but they differ significantly in scope, legality, and strength. Opioid is the broadest medical term — it covers any substance that binds to opioid receptors in the brain, from weak codeine to strong fentanyl; morphine is one specific opioid. Painkiller is an everyday word that includes mild drugs like ibuprofen or paracetamol alongside prescription-only ones; it lacks the precision needed in clinical discussions. Narcotic has a strong legal and regulatory flavour — in everyday speech it often refers to illegal recreational drugs rather than medicines. Heroin (diacetylmorphine) is a semi-synthetic derivative of morphine; it crosses the blood-brain barrier faster, making it much more addictive, and it is illegal in most countries. Laudanum is a historical preparation — a tincture of opium dissolved in alcohol that was used in the 18th and 19th centuries for a wide range of ailments; it is rarely prescribed today. In short: for a precise medical context, opioid is the best alternative to morphine; in a historical context, laudanum is relevant; painkiller is useful only for everyday generalisation.

opioid ↗painkiller ↗narcotic ↗heroin ↗laudanum ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • intravenously
  • orally

Phrases

  • under the influence of morphine
  • a morphine-based painkiller

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekFrenchGermanEnglish

The name morphine comes from French morphée, which was borrowed from Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams. The German pharmacist Friedrich Sertürner named the substance in 1804 after isolating it from opium, choosing the name because the drug induces deep sleep and vivid dreaming.