From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishopiateo‧pi‧ate /ˈəʊpiət, -eɪt $ ˈoʊ-/ noun [countable] 1 MDMDDa drug that contains opium. Opiates can be used to reduce severe pain and help people to sleep.2 something that makes people stop thinking about the problems in their lives so that they stop trying to make their lives better – used to show disapproval Hollywood movies were seen as an opiate for the people.
Examples from the Corpus
opiate• And opium and opiate derivatives just came along with it, y'know.• Because blood concentrations of most opiates are quite low even in overdose, screening is usually done on the urine.• Exercising on the days of symptoms will release endorphins, or natural opiates, in the body.• I had been taking opiates all night.• Alcohol is much less potent than opiates, however, because it works in an entirely different way.• Oral aspirin is difficult if the patient is nauseated and vomiting and the opiate given to relieve pain may delay gastric motility.• Its affinity for the opiate receptor means, however, that it could be addictive in the same way as morphine.Origin opiate (1400-1500) Medieval Latin opiatus, from Latin opium; → OPIUM 