meconium (n.)

"dark fecal discharge from a newborn infant," 1706, from Latin meconium "excrement of a newborn child," literally "poppy juice," from Greek mēkōnion "poppy-juice, opium," diminutive of mēkōn "poppy," which perhaps is related to Old Church Slavonic maku, German Mohn "poppy," and is perhaps of Pre-Greek origin. "As the poppy originates from the Mediterranean according to botanists, it is often thought that we are dealing with a 'Wanderwort', which was borrowed into lndoEuropean at PIE date" [Beekes]. The discharge was so called by classical physicians for its resemblance. Related: Meconial.