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

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

In a response posted to social media, Kennedy hit back at the pediatrics academy's criticism, implying that the organization's views were influenced by corporate pharmaceutical funders. —Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025

Moreover, as part of the Inflation Reduction Act’s drug price negotiation program, the prices of both Ozempic (semaglutide) and Wegovy are currently being negotiated between the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the pharmaceutical giant, Novo Nordisk. —Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025

Noun

French pharmaceutical group Sanofi dropped 10%, with JPMorgan analysts calling results from its latest dermatitis drug study weaker than expected. —Jenni Reid,holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2025

As the pharmaceutical industry navigates increasingly complex regulatory landscapes, the adoption of generative AI could mark a turning point in how quickly and safely therapies reach patients worldwide. —Sixteen Ramos, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025

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