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

• apothecary
• 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

Eighty-five percent of transactions at grocery stores, 39% at pharmacies, 38% at retailers and 36% at restaurants in the U.S. have been contactless. —Serge Beck, Forbes, 4 Sep. 2024

What's next: New COVID-19 vaccine boosters are being rolled out to local pharmacies. —Naheed Rajwani-Dharsi, Axios, 4 Sep. 2024

The iconic pharmacy to this day, counts a who’s who of New York as clients. —Caroline Reilly, Robb Report, 2 Sep. 2024

The pharmacy will mix the herbs right there and send customers home with directions for how to prepare the loose tea. —Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2024

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