opium

英文词源

opium

opium: [14] Etymologically, opium means ‘little juice’. It comes via Latin from Greek ópion ‘poppy juice’, which originated as a diminutive form of opós ‘juice’. This in turn may be related to Persian āb ‘water’. The derivative opiate [16] comes via medieval Latin opiātus.

opium (n.)

late 14c., from Latin opium, from Greek opion "poppy juice, poppy," diminutive of opos "vegetable juice."

Die Religion ist der Seufzer der bedrängten Kreatur, das Gemüth einer herzlosen Welt, wie sie der Geist geistloser Zustände ist. Sie ist das Opium des Volks. [Karl Marx, "Zur Kritik der Hegel'schen Rechts-Philosophie," in "Deutsch-Französische Jahrbücher," February, 1844]

The British Opium War against China lasted from 1839-42; the name is attested from 1841.