medicine

noun

med·​i·​cine ˈme-di-sən 

British usually

ˈmed-sən 

plural medicines

1

a

: a substance or preparation used in treating disease

cough medicine

b

: something that affects well-being

He's bad medicine.

—Zane Grey

2

a

: the science and art dealing with the maintenance of health and the prevention, alleviation, or cure of disease

She's interested in a career in medicine.

b

: the branch of medicine concerned with the nonsurgical treatment of disease

3

: a substance (such as a drug or potion) used to treat something other than disease

4

: an object (such as a stone, animal bone, or plant root) which in some Indigenous American traditions is held to give control over natural or magical forces

also : magical power or a magical rite

medicine transitive verb

Synonyms of medicine

• medication
• drug
• remedy
• cure
• medicinal

Examples of medicine in a Sentence

He forgot to take his medicine.

Did you look in the medicine cabinet for a pain reliever?

Their research has led to many important advances in modern medicine.

She's interested in a career in medicine.

Recent Examples on the Web

At the Elikya Ebola Treatment Center in Bunia, the nurse spends her days caring for patients infected with Ebola — one of the world’s deadliest viruses — administering medicine and assisting those too weak to feed themselves. — Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026

If laughter is the best medicine, traveling with friends is a close second. — Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 5 Aug. 2026

Doctors are hopeful this surgery opens up new realm of medicine to stop progression of disease, before birth. — ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026

Cocobolo rosewood, Dalbergia retusa, is particularly favored for carving ceremonial staffs used in traditional medicine and commercial art depicting tropical plants and animals. — Chenier Carpio Opua, The Conversation, 5 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin medicina, from feminine of medicinus of a physician, from medicus

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing medicine

• allopathic medicine
• alternative medicine
• a taste/dose of someone's own medicine
• complementary medicine
• conventional medicine
• defensive medicine
• doctor of medicine
• doctor of osteopathic medicine
• emergency medicine
• folk medicine
• herbal medicine
• homeopathic medicine
• internal medicine
• medicine ball
• medicine chest
• medicine dropper
• medicine man
• medicine show
• nuclear medicine
• osteopathic medicine
• patent medicine
• personalized medicine
• physical medicine
• physical medicine and rehabilitation
• precision medicine
• regenerative medicine
• socialized medicine
• space medicine
• sports medicine
• take one's medicine
• veterinary medicine
• Western medicine

Rhymes for medicine

• biomedicine
• telemedicine

Kids Definition

medicine

noun

med·​i·​cine ˈmed-ə-sən 

1

: a substance or preparation used in treating disease

2

: the science or art that deals with the prevention, cure, or easing of disease

especially : the practice of the physician as it differs from that of the surgeon

3

: an object, power, or ceremony held to give control over natural or magical forces

Medical Definition

medicine

noun

med·​i·​cine

ˈmed-ə-sən, British usually ˈmed-sən

1

: a substance or preparation used in treating disease

2

a

: the science and art dealing with the maintenance of health and the prevention, alleviation, or cure of disease

b

: the branch of medicine concerned with the nonsurgical treatment of disease