Narceine
/nɑːrˈsiːiːn/noun
A crystalline alkaloid found in opium, used mainly in chemical and pharmacological research.
Did you know?Narceine was named from the ancient Greek root *nark-* meaning “to numb” or “stun,” the same root behind words tied to sleep, stupor, and altered states.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
narkē
“numbness, torpor, or a deadening stun”
Late Greek / Scientific Latin
Latin
narceina
“a coined chemical name based on the narcotic root”
19th Century
French
narcéine
“the opium alkaloid isolated and named in chemical literature”
Modern English
English
narceine
“a specific alkaloid obtained from opium”
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