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

The first liquid crystal display substrate that makes all of the flat panel displays that you’re used to seeing, the first low loss optical fiber, the ceramic substrates that clean the air of your emissions from your vehicles, the pharmaceutical packaging that made your COVID shot possible. —Fortune Editors, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025

She's been a race director, a team recruiter for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, a salesperson for a major pharmaceutical company, a blogger for Moogfest, a communications manager for Mission Health, a fitness instructor, and a health coach. —Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 20 Oct. 2025

Noun

At Venomworld, herpetologist Remi Ksas collects venom from some of the world’s most dangerous snakes for medical and pharmaceutical uses. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 23 Oct. 2025

More research is needed to learn how polyphenols deactivate viruses and how this may be used in pharmaceuticals or therapeutics. —Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 23 Oct. 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