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

The simplicity of the idea — that someone about to start immunotherapy could simply pop into their local pharmacy for an inexpensive shot that might prolong their life — should be enough to inspire everyone to put aside politics and invest in pursuing this promising finding. —Lisa Jarvis, Twin Cities, 8 Nov. 2025

North Kansas City authorities have identified a male CVS employee as the victim killed in a North Kansas City shooting Thursday at the one of the health retailer’s pharmacy locations . —Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 7 Nov. 2025

Spillner was in the final stages of completing her doctorate in pharmacy at Concordia, located in Mequon, according to her online obituary. —Sophie Carson, jsonline.com, 7 Nov. 2025

The expansion of the role of pharmacies has meant that paying cash for generic drugs and services can also be cheaper at times. —Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025

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