pharmacy

noun

phar·​ma·​cy ˈfär-mə-sē 

plural pharmacies

1

: the art, practice, or profession of preparing, preserving, compounding, and dispensing medical drugs

2

a

: a place where medicines are compounded or dispensed

b

: drugstore

3

: pharmacopoeia sense 2

Synonyms of pharmacy

• drugstore

Examples of pharmacy in a Sentence

There's a pharmacy in our grocery store now.

She's studying pharmacy at the university.

Recent Examples on the Web

The lawsuit alleges that pharmacy benefit managers and insulin manufacturers created and participated in a pricing scheme that led to an increase in the price of insulin and increased profits. —Kyle Werner, Des Moines Register, 30 Jan. 2026

And that feed store, burger joint and the FLDS-run grocery store have been replaced by a big supermarket, bank, pharmacy, coffee shop and bar. —Jacques Billeaud, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026

Employers and governments hire PBMs to negotiate drug prices, create lists of covered drugs, build networks of pharmacies, and process drug claims. —Bob Herman, STAT, 30 Jan. 2026

The ideal model securely streams biometric data into clinical systems, applies advanced analytics within provider workflows and translates insights into coordinated care delivery across pharmacies, community services and home support. —Sahar Hashmi, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin pharmacia administration of drugs, from Greek pharmakeia, from pharmakeuein to administer drugs, from pharmakon magic charm, poison, drug

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

pharmacy

noun

phar·​ma·​cy ˈfär-mə-sē 

plural pharmacies

1

: the art, practice, or profession of preparing drugs according to a doctor's prescription

2

a

: a place where medicines are made or distributed

b

: drugstore

Medical Definition

pharmacy

noun

phar·​ma·​cy ˈfär-mə-sē 

plural pharmacies

1

: the art, practice, or profession of preparing, preserving, compounding, and dispensing medical drugs

2

a

: a place where medicines are compounded or dispensed

a hospital pharmacy

b

: drugstore

3

: pharmacopoeia sense 2