pharmacy

noun

phar·​ma·​cy ˈfär-mə-sē 

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

: drugstore

3

: pharmacopoeia sense 2

Synonyms of pharmacy

• drugstore

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

Patients submitted to regular blood draws, which are weekly at the start, with each result logged into a national database before a pharmacy could release the next supply. — Nitin Gogtay, STAT, 4 Sep. 2026

Walgreens store locations will be open regular hours on Labor Day; the pharmacy may be operating on limited hours. — Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 3 Sep. 2026

The regulator said although availability of certain products or brands may vary by pharmacy or location, estradiol transdermal patches remain available. — Sriparna Roy, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026

The judge signed off on a similar agreement in May that allowed prosecutors access to prescription medication records for Woods at a Palm Beach pharmacy from the beginning of 2026 through the end of March. — Ryan Gaydos Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026

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

Kids Definition

pharmacy

noun

phar·​ma·​cy ˈfär-mə-sē 

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

: drugstore

Medical Definition

pharmacy

noun

phar·​ma·​cy ˈfär-mə-sē 

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

: drugstore

3

: pharmacopoeia sense 2