dispensary

noun

dis·​pen·​sa·​ry di-ˈspen(t)s-(ə-)rē 

plural dispensaries

: a place where medicine or medical or dental treatment is dispensed

Examples of dispensary in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Michigan municipalities and counties that allow recreational marijuana dispensaries are set to receive far less money this year than last in their annual portion of tax revenue collected from cannabis sales. —Adrienne Roberts, Freep.com, 5 Mar. 2026

Affected products were sold at 11 dispensaries, including Trulieve and The Garden by KCG in Cincinnati. —Digital Staff, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Mar. 2026

In fact, there are dispensaries all over the city that sell it. —Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026

Josh Kesselman, the founder of Raw Rolling Papers, stopped to admire a display case at Torches, a high-end legal cannabis dispensary near Grand Central Terminal. —Mark Yarm, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

dispense + -ary entry 1, probably after New Latin dispensārium "book containing directions for formulating medicines"

First Known Use

1699, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for dispensary

• suspensory
• extrasensory
• multisensory
• sensory
• somatosensory

Kids Definition

dispensary

noun

dis·​pen·​sa·​ry dis-ˈpen(t)s-(ə-)rē 

plural dispensaries

: a place where medical or dental aid is given

Medical Definition

dispensary

noun

dis·​pen·​sa·​ry dis-ˈpen(t)s-(ə-)rē 

plural dispensaries

: a place where medicine or medical or dental treatment is dispensed