Definition of: Papaveraceae

(pə·pav′ə·rā′si·ē) noun plural Bot.
A family of widely distributed herbs and shrubs with polypetalous, typically showy flowers and a milky juice yielding several important narcotic alkaloids; the poppy family. [<NL <L papaver poppy + -aceus of the nature of]
—pa·pav′er·a′ceous (-rā′shəs) adjective