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

Actually Announced About Peptides Kennedy’s announcement covered peptides the FDA moved to Category 2 in late 2023, a restricted status that effectively pulled them off compounding pharmacy shelves. —Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 17 June 2026

And yet the pharmacy sells some of Tennessee's most potent ivermectin available without a prescription from a doctor -- up to 21 times as strong as a standard tablet, for nearly $19 per pill -- according to the KFF Health News analysis. —ABC News, 17 June 2026

For heavy fluid loss, oral rehydration salts are best and are sold in pharmacies across most low- and middle-income countries. —Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 16 June 2026

Last year, Maryland passed House Bill 820, legislation aimed at restricting how insurers, pharmacy benefit managers and utilization review organizations use artificial intelligence in healthcare decision-making. —Sreedhar Potarazu, Baltimore Sun, 14 June 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