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

• apothecary
• 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 front end of the Caldwell store will close June 12, but its pharmacy will close a little sooner, on June 5, a Rite Aid spokesperson told the Idaho Statesman on Tuesday. —Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 27 May 2025

There are two primary types of retail pharmacies: chain pharmacies, which are operated by larger companies, and independent pharmacies, which are often locally owned. —Lucas Dufalla, Arkansas Online, 24 May 2025

Walgreens: Store open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday; pharmacy closed. —Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado, Sacbee.com, 23 May 2025

Nearly half of survey respondents admitted to forgetting or choosing not to wash their hands at key times, like after visiting a grocery store, restaurant, doctor’s office, pharmacy, clinic or hospital. —Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 21 May 2025

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