apothecary

noun

apoth·​e·​cary ə-ˈpä-thə-ˌker-ē 

-ˌke-rē

plural apothecaries

1

: one who prepares and sells drugs or compounds for medicinal purposes

2

: pharmacy

Did you know?

Apothecaries, Bodegas, and Boutiques

Apothecary, bodega, and boutique may not look very similar, but they are all related both in meaning and in origin. Each of these words can be traced back to a Latin word for “storehouse” (apotheca), and each one refers in English to a retail establishment of some sort. Although bodega initially meant “a storehouse for wine,” it now most commonly refers to a grocery store in an urban area, especially one that specializes in Hispanic groceries. Boutique has also taken on new meanings: its first sense in English (“a small retail store”) is still current, but it now may also denote “a small company that offers highly specialized products or services.” Of the three words, apothecary has changed the least; it has gone from referring solely to the person who sells drugs or medicines to also naming the store where such goods are sold.

Synonyms

• chemist [British]
• druggist
• pharmacist

Examples of apothecary in a Sentence

in olden days the apothecary had few drugs that actually cured anything, most substances being little more than pain relievers

the historic village boasts an old-fashioned apothecary that's been there for almost a century and a half

Recent Examples on the Web

The removable glass beakers provided for sampling and wooden box packaging, sealed with wax and marked with the date of each batch, add to the apothecary feel. —Michael Stefanov, Robb Report, 11 July 2024

However, after further research, the team recognized a significant opportunity to bring in Neom, which is available in apothecaries, spas and Nordstrom, and has plans to launch with another U.S. retail partner in the coming months according to Elliott. —Emily Burns, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019

The drinks—which average around $20—are mixed with all the seriousness found at a craft cocktail bar, tapping an apothecary’s worth of herbs, shrubs, and aperitifs to achieve their complex, surprising flavors. —The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appétit, 28 June 2024

The luxury fashion platform is once again teaming with high-end apothecary Flamingo Estate for a pop-up set in the former auto body shop at 9 Railroad Avenue in East Hampton, N.Y. —Evan Clark, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019

Word History

Etymology

Middle English apothecarie, apotecarie, pothecarie, borrowed from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French apothecaire, ipotecaire, borrowed from Medieval Latin apotēcārius, apothēcārius, going back to Late Latin, "shopkeeper," from Latin apothēca "storeroom, storehouse, repository" (borrowed from Greek apothḗkē, from apothē-, variant stem of apotithénai "to put away, stow away" —from apo- apo- + tithénai "to put, place"— + -kē, noun suffix) + -ārius -ary entry 1 — more at do entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

apothecary

noun

apoth·​e·​cary ə-ˈpäth-ə-ˌker-ē 

plural apothecaries

: druggist

Medical Definition

apothecary

noun

apoth·​e·​cary ə-ˈpäth-ə-ˌker-ē 

plural apothecaries

1

: a person who prepares and sells drugs or compounds for medicinal purposes : druggist, pharmacist

2

: pharmacy sense 2a