codeine
noun
co·deine
| \ ˈkō-ˌdēn
\
\
Definition of codeine
: a morphine derivative C18H21NO3·H2O that is found in opium, is weaker in action than morphine, and is used especially as an analgesic and antitussive
Examples of codeine in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Rounds of live ammunition were found in the back seat behind the driver, along with five sealed medicine bottles and one open medicine bottle containing a substance believed to be codeine, Moccia said. — Jordan Frias, BostonGlobe.com, "Dorchester man arrested after allegedly brandishing gun at Brighton IHOP," 25 Aug. 2019 An officer found a bottle of promethazine and codeine during a vehicle search, police said. — Jennifer James, Houston Chronicle, "Police: 2 Friendswood men suspected in vehicle burglaries," 21 Aug. 2019 By comparison, 39 overdose deaths were attributed to heroin last year and 53 to prescription opioids such as oxycodone and codeine. — Taylor Kate Brown, SFChronicle.com, "Bay Briefing: Fentanyl epidemic worsens in San Francisco," 24 June 2019 The topic is timely: A couple of months earlier, the Therapeutic Goods Administration, Australia’s FDA equivalent, ordered pharmacies to remove over-the-counter codeine products from their shelves. — Cathryn Jakobson Ramin, Discover Magazine, "These Researchers Think We Can Retrain Our Brains to Tame Chronic Pain," 30 May 2019 Opioids like codeine are also notorious for causing constipation, Dr. Alan says. — Korin Miller, SELF, "Rapper Bow Wow Says He ‘Almost Died’ After Developing an Addiction to Lean," 13 Sep. 2018 And whether the syrup was actually codeine was also unclear — Miami-Dade police never took the liquid to the forensics lab for testing. — David Ovalle, miamiherald, "'We got bills to pay, sweetie.' Cops forced to return stripper's $19,934 in cash," 6 July 2018 The rest were a combination of the opioid painkillers hydrocodone and codeine, and methylphenidate, a stimulant commonly known as Ritalin. — Aubrey Whelan, Philly.com, "Three Philly-area defendants charged in federal opioid crackdown," 28 June 2018 The autopsy also says Clark was legally drunk and had traces of marijuana, cocaine and codeine in his system when was shot, but the report said the toxicology findings are not directly relevant to the fatal shooting. — Washington Post, "Autopsy by coroner sheds light on Sacramento police killing," 3 May 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'codeine.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for codeine
codeine
noun
English Language Learners Definition of codeine
: a drug used to reduce pain
See the full definition for codeine in the English Language Learners Dictionary
codeine
noun
co·deine
| \ ˈkō-ˌdēn, ˈkōd-ē-ən
\
\
Medical Definition of codeine
: a morphine derivative that is found in opium, is weaker in action than morphine, and is used chiefly in the form of its sulfate (C18H21NO3)2·H2SO4 or phosphate C18H21NO3·H3PO4 especially as a pain reliever and cough suppressant
Although codeine is potentially addicting, it rarely causes physical dependence when taken orally for a short time. — Consumer Reports, February l983
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