pharmacist

noun

phar·​ma·​cist ˈfär-mə-sist 

: a health care professional licensed to engage in pharmacy with duties including dispensing prescription drugs, monitoring drug interactions, administering vaccines, and counseling patients regarding the effects and proper usage of drugs and dietary supplements

Synonyms

• apothecary
• chemist [British]
• druggist

Examples of pharmacist in a Sentence

the pharmacist caught an error in the prescription's dosage

Recent Examples on the Web

If your pharmacy is closing soon, E. Michael Murphy, an assistant professor of clinical pharmacy at The Ohio State University, encourages being proactive and asking your pharmacist where your prescriptions are being sent and whether that pharmacy has your insurance and medication history. —Addy Bink, The Hill, 3 June 2025

The physicians discovered that the pharmacist had accidentally given them the wrong substance, the later identification of which led to the development of acetaminophen, or Tylenol. —Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 26 May 2025

Read more: Prevention & Treatment Diet and Nutrition 12 Sources By Megan Nunn, PharmD Nunn is a community pharmacist in Tennessee with 12 years of experience in medication counseling and immunization. —Megan Nunn, Verywell Health, 21 May 2025

Additionally, pharmacists will need rigorous training in these new systems. —ArsTechnica, 20 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1721, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

pharmacist

noun

phar·​ma·​cist ˈfär-mə-səst 

: one trained in pharmacy

Medical Definition

pharmacist

noun

phar·​ma·​cist ˈfär-mə-səst 

: a health-care professional licensed to engage in pharmacy with duties including dispensing prescription drugs, monitoring drug interactions, administering vaccines, and counseling patients regarding the effects and proper usage of drugs and dietary supplements