chief alkaloid of opium (used as a narcotic pain-killer), 1828, from French morphine or German Morphin (1816), name coined by German apothecary Friedrich Sertürner (1783-1840) in reference to Latin Morpheus (q.v.), Ovid's name for the god of dreams, from Greek morphē "form, shape, beauty, outward appearance," which is of unknown origin. So called because of the drug's sleep-inducing properties.

"morphine" in Latin form, 1818; see morphine.

"mad craving for morphine," 1885; see morphine + mania. Other words in the same sense were morphinism (1875, after German Morphiumsucht); morphiomania (1876). Related: Morphinomaniac; morphiomaniac.

"chemical which occurs naturally in the brain and works like morphine," 1975, from French endorphine. First element from endogène "endogenous, growing within" (see endo- + genus); second element from morphine.

trademark name, by 1942; originally a morphine substitute.

"one given over to some practice," 1909, first in reference to morphine, from addict (v.).

1831, from alkali (q.v.) + -oid. "A general term applied to basic compounds of vegetable origin, bitter in taste, and having powerful effects on the animal system" [Flood], including morphine and nicotine. As an adjective by 1859.

synthetic analgesic used as a substitute for morphine or heroin in treatment of addiction, 1947, generic designation for 6-dimethylamino-4, 4-diphenyl-3-heptanone. For origins of the syllables, see methyl + amino- + di- + -one.

as a noun, in biology, "genetic variant of an animal," 1955; as a verb, in cinematic special effects, c. 1987, short for metamorphosis. Related: Morphed; morphing. Earlier it was a slang shortening of morphine (1912).

1928 (morphine barbiturate is from 1918), with chemical ending -ate (3) + barbituric (1865), from German barbitur in Barbitursäure "barbituric acid," coined 1863 by chemist Adolf von Baeyer. The reason for the name is unknown; some suggest it is from the woman's name Barbara, others that it is perhaps from Latin barbata, in Medieval Latin usnea barbata, literally "bearded moss." The second element is because it was obtained from uric acid. Related: Barbitol.