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

Many hospital pharmacies also partner with the nonprofit, which has distributed medication donated by pharmaceutical companies to 277 sites in 38 states. —Blake Farmer, Miami Herald, 13 Jan. 2026

The woman in the video tells the security guard she is contracted to receive medications only through this pharmacy. —Christina Fan, CBS News, 12 Jan. 2026

During the day, businesses such as supermarkets, pharmacies, bakeries and cafés are open, at night many bars and restaurants still keep their doors closed. —Nbc News, NBC news, 11 Jan. 2026

Manette was a pharmacy school student in Pittsburgh, while Curt was a quarterback coach at Rice University in Houston. —Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 10 Jan. 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