pharmacy

noun

phar·​ma·​cy ˈfär-mə-sē How to pronounce pharmacy (audio)
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
3

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
If approved, the settlement would be among the largest in a wave of lawsuits over the past decade as governments and others sought to hold drugmakers, wholesalers and pharmacies accountable for the opioid epidemic that started rising in the years after OxyContin hit the market in 1996. Geoff Mulvihill, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2025 In addition, people can get tested at their medical provider’s office, community clinics, or some pharmacies. Thresa Giles, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 June 2025 Some of the other features include an emergency department, a labor unit, operating rooms and an on-site pharmacy. Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 19 June 2025 Walgreens’ fall from grace The past decade has seen Walgreens shrink from a leading pharmacy retailer worth $100 billion to agreeing to a $10 billion private equity buyout. Diane Brady, Fortune, 18 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for pharmacy

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of pharmacy was in 1651

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pharmacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pharmacy. Accessed 26 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

pharmacy

noun
phar·​ma·​cy ˈfär-mə-sē How to pronounce pharmacy (audio)
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

Medical Definition

pharmacy

noun
phar·​ma·​cy ˈfär-mə-sē How to pronounce pharmacy (audio)
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
3

More from Merriam-Webster on pharmacy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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