pharmaceutical

1 of 2

adjective

phar·​ma·​ceu·​ti·​cal ˌfär-mə-ˈsü-ti-kəl 

: of, relating to, or engaged in pharmacy or the manufacture and sale of pharmaceuticals

a pharmaceutical company

pharmaceutically

ˌfär-mə-ˈsü-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

pharmaceutical

2 of 2

noun

: a medicinal drug

Synonyms of pharmaceutical

Noun

• drug
• medication
• medicine
• remedy
• cure

Examples of pharmaceutical in a Sentence

Adjective

lobbyists from the pharmaceutical industry

Noun

some pharmaceuticals can be quite risky unless taken correctly

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The president imposed a 100% levy on patented pharmaceutical products and ingredients under Section 232 on April 2, while exempting generic drugs, biosimilars, and related ingredients. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 22 July 2026

Healthcare's future depends on hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, technology firms, policymakers, employers, insurers, researchers, and patients working together toward common goals. — Robert Reiss, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Noun

In many ways, voters are beginning to treat AI more like industries with significant societal impact, such as pharmaceuticals, where innovation is encouraged but balanced with strict oversight and safety expectations. — Gary Drenik, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Regulations on supplement manufacturers are not as strict as those governing pharmaceuticals, so the amount of each ingredient can vary between products, and potential side effects may not be mentioned on the label. — Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Late Latin pharmaceuticus, from Greek pharmakeutikos, from pharmakeuein to administer drugs — more at pharmacy

First Known Use

Adjective

1636, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1829, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for pharmaceutical

• hermeneutical
• cuticle
• radiopharmaceutical

Kids Definition

pharmaceutical

1 of 2 adjective

phar·​ma·​ceu·​ti·​cal ˌfär-mə-ˈsüt-i-kəl 

: of, relating to, or involved in pharmacy or the manufacture and sale of medicinal drugs

a pharmaceutical company

pharmaceutically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

pharmaceutical

2 of 2 noun

: a drug or preparation used in medicine

Medical Definition

pharmaceutical

1 of 2 adjective

phar·​ma·​ceu·​ti·​cal ˌfär-mə-ˈsüt-i-kəl 

variants also pharmaceutic

-ˈsüt-ik 

: of, relating to, or engaged in pharmacy or the manufacture and sale of pharmaceuticals

a pharmaceutical company

pharmaceutically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

pharmaceutical

2 of 2 noun

variants also pharmaceutic

: a medicinal drug