opium poppy
nounDefinition of opium poppy
: an annual Eurasian poppy (Papaver somniferum) cultivated since antiquity as the source of opium, for its edible oily seeds, or for its showy flowers
Examples of opium poppy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In what may be the largest opium bust in California history, Monterey County sheriff’s investigators seized more than 34,000 pounds of opium poppies around the county. — Sophie Haigney, San Francisco Chronicle, "34,000 pounds of opium poppies seized in Monterey County," 3 June 2018 Javed’s unit arrested traffickers, raided drug labs, and set fire to fields of mauve opium poppies. — Matthew Wolfe, Harper's magazine, "Without a Trace," 10 Feb. 2019 In 2010, the U.S. pumped millions of dollars into programs meant to encourage farmers growing opium poppies to grow things like pomegranates. — Dion Nissenbaum, WSJ, "In Kandahar, U.S. Troops Remain, Even if Salsa Night Is Gone," 9 Aug. 2018 The bloodiest states last year were the central State of Mexico with 3,046 murders, and southern Guerrero state, at the heart of the country’s opium poppy wars, with 2,578. — Anthony Harrup, WSJ, "Mexico’s Murder Rate Hits Highest Level in Decades," 30 July 2018 The battle for political control in Chilapa and elsewhere in the state has become more vicious amid a plunge in the price of the opium poppy, which has forced gangs to diversify their criminal activities beyond drug trafficking, officials said. — New York Times, "Criminal Groups Seek to Decide Outcome in Many Mexican Races," 1 July 2018 Analysts say about 80 percent of Helmand — prized for its vast opium poppy fields — has been under Taliban control since 2004, though urban centers had remained under government control. — Washington Post, "Peace in Afghanistan more elusive as Taliban shrug off talks," 11 July 2018 Analysts say about 80 percent of Helmand — prized for its vast opium poppy fields — has been under Taliban control since 2004, though urban centers had remained under government control. — Rahim Faiez, Fox News, "Peace in Afghanistan more elusive as Taliban shrug off talks," 11 July 2018 In Guerrero — a hub for cultivation of the opium poppy, the raw material in the production of heroin — 10 candidates for local posts in the rural town of Cutzamala de Pinzon, home to about 5,000 people, have withdrawn from the race. — Patrick J. Mcdonnell, latimes.com, "Slayings of political candidates accelerate in run-up to Mexico election," 27 June 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'opium poppy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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