pharmacology

play

noun phar·ma·col·o·gy \ˌfär-mə-ˈkä-lə-jē\

Definition of pharmacology

1 : the science of drugs including their origin, composition, pharmacokinetics, therapeutic use, and toxicology
2 : the properties and reactions of drugs especially with relation to their therapeutic value

pharmacological

play \ˌfär-mə-kə-ˈlä-ji-kəl\ or less commonly

pharmacologic

play \ˌfär-mə-kə-ˈlä-jik\ adjective

pharmacologically

play \ˌfär-mə-kə-ˈlä-ji-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

pharmacologist

play \ˌfär-mə-ˈkä-lə-jist\ noun

See pharmacology defined for English-language learners

See pharmacology defined for kids

Examples of pharmacology in a Sentence

We don't have a complete understanding of the new drug's pharmacology yet.

Recent Examples of pharmacology from the Web

Fahey's predecessor as director of the research center, the renowned pharmacology professor and experimental generalist Paul Talalay, isolated the compound sulforaphane as a phytochemical (a chemical produced by plants) in the early 1990s.

— jonathan m. pitts, baltimoresun.com, "Like it or not, broccoli is good for you, research says", 30 June 2017
The problem is kratom products that show up in the United States are unregulated and may be taken, either as a tea or an extract, at unsafe levels, said Prozialeck, a pharmacology professor.

— anne geggis, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Kava bar banned over designer-drug rule in Lighthouse Point", 30 June 2017
Robert Levenson, a distinguished professor of pharmacology at Penn State College of Medicine who published at least three papers with Kernen, confirmed that their research was unrelated to climate science.

— emily atkin, New Republic, "Cable TV’s Safest Space for Trump’s Climate Deniers", 20 June 2017
Calhoun, who died in 1995 at the age of 78, left NIMH in less than happy circumstances in the 1980s, about the time the agency’s focus was shifting from animal studies to pharmacology.

— fredrick kunkle, Washington Post, "The researcher who loved rats and fueled our doomsday fears", 19 June 2017
Indermill left the University of Colorado an essay short of a degree in pharmacology.

— lola sherman seaside musings, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Community celebrates Oceanside resident’s 100th birthday", 25 May 2017
The honorees are: Adelina Minter, Aberdeen High School, would like a career that would enable her to travel and also help others, perhaps something in one of the allied health fields, maybe pharmacology.

— The Aegis, "12 Harford high school juniors honored as young women leaders in math, science", 15 May 2017
The bride’s mother retired as a pharmacology professor in the biological sciences department at Tennessee State University in 2008.

— New York Times, "Lillian Blackshear, Clifton Peay III", 9 Apr. 2017
L'Oreal also has a history of selling Episkin to other cosmetic and pharmacology companies.

— margaret rhodes, Wired News, "Inside L’Oreal’s Plan to 3-D Print Human Skin", 28 May 2015

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pharmacology'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of pharmacology

1704

PHARMACOLOGY Defined for English Language Learners

pharmacology

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noun

Definition of pharmacology for English Language Learners

: the scientific study of drugs and how they are used in medicine
: a drug's qualities and effects

Medical Dictionary

pharmacology

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noun phar·ma·col·o·gy \ˌfär-mə-ˈkäl-ə-jē\

Medical Definition of pharmacology

plural

pharmacologies

1: the science of drugs including their origin, composition, pharmacokinetics, therapeutic use, and toxicology
2: the properties and reactions of drugs especially with relation to their therapeutic value