medicine

noun

med·​i·​cine ˈme-di-sən 

British usually

ˈmed-sən 

plural medicines

1

a

: a substance or preparation used in treating disease

cough medicine

b

: something that affects well-being

He's bad medicine.

—Zane Grey

2

a

: the science and art dealing with the maintenance of health and the prevention, alleviation, or cure of disease

She's interested in a career in medicine.

b

: the branch of medicine concerned with the nonsurgical treatment of disease

3

: a substance (such as a drug or potion) used to treat something other than disease

4

: an object (such as a stone, animal bone, or plant root) which in some Indigenous American traditions is held to give control over natural or magical forces

also : magical power or a magical rite

medicine transitive verb

Synonyms of medicine

• medication
• drug
• remedy
• cure
• medicinal

Examples of medicine in a Sentence

He forgot to take his medicine.

Did you look in the medicine cabinet for a pain reliever?

Their research has led to many important advances in modern medicine.

She's interested in a career in medicine.

Recent Examples on the Web

Acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine are also available, such as herbal medicine consultations and a pain management program. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026

Ancient Mesopotamians did not have obstetric medicine, reliable methods for assessing the health of a fetus in utero, gynecological surgery, or neonatal care. — Eleanor Johnson, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026

Ricks said that 700,000 new seniors started GLP-1 treatments since Medicare began covering obesity drugs in July, and that 70% of those patients are on Lilly medicines. — Cj Haddad, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026

Public reporting and institutional benchmarking have improved accountability in medicine. — Alexandra Kharazi, Forbes.com, 21 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin medicina, from feminine of medicinus of a physician, from medicus

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing medicine

• allopathic medicine
• alternative medicine
• a taste/dose of someone's own medicine
• complementary medicine
• conventional medicine
• defensive medicine
• doctor of medicine
• doctor of osteopathic medicine
• emergency medicine
• folk medicine
• herbal medicine
• homeopathic medicine
• internal medicine
• medicine ball
• medicine chest
• medicine dropper
• medicine man
• medicine show
• nuclear medicine
• osteopathic medicine
• patent medicine
• personalized medicine
• physical medicine
• physical medicine and rehabilitation
• precision medicine
• regenerative medicine
• socialized medicine
• space medicine
• sports medicine
• take one's medicine
• veterinary medicine
• Western medicine

Rhymes for medicine

• biomedicine
• telemedicine

Kids Definition

medicine

noun

med·​i·​cine ˈmed-ə-sən 

1

: a substance or preparation used in treating disease

2

: the science or art that deals with the prevention, cure, or easing of disease

especially : the practice of the physician as it differs from that of the surgeon

3

: an object, power, or ceremony held to give control over natural or magical forces

Medical Definition

medicine

noun

med·​i·​cine

ˈmed-ə-sən, British usually ˈmed-sən

1

: a substance or preparation used in treating disease

2

a

: the science and art dealing with the maintenance of health and the prevention, alleviation, or cure of disease

b

: the branch of medicine concerned with the nonsurgical treatment of disease