1
as in pharmacists
a person who prepares drugs according to a doctor's prescription
in olden days the apothecary had few drugs that actually cured anything, most substances being little more than pain relievers
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2
as in pharmacies
a retail store where medicines and miscellaneous articles are sold
the historic village boasts an old-fashioned apothecary that's been there for almost a century and a half
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Recent Examples of apothecaries
For decades after the nation’s founding, doctors had competition from homeopaths, herbalists, apothecaries, midwives, and religious healers—not to mention mothers.
—
Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 19 Dec. 2025
Eventually, hard candies were made from the plant and carried in many apothecaries and general stores.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 30 Nov. 2025
Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 19 Dec. 2025
Eventually, hard candies were made from the plant and carried in many apothecaries and general stores.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 30 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apothecaries
Noun
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Parlow made special mention of the academic achievements of graduating students who become teachers, pharmacists and physician’s assistants, reflecting the school’s contributions to health care and education.—
Claire Wang,
Oc Register,
28 Feb. 2026
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Those were full-time pharmacists, realtors and teachers hustling across Olympic ice for Team USA.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The federal agency said unapproved peptides tend to come from pharmacies that mix or compound ingredients and cited risks such as potential immune reactions or manufacturing impurities.—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Mar. 2026
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Such a designation would trigger additional actions to help ease the supply crunch, including allowing certain compounding pharmacies to make more of it.—
Brenda Goodman,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Apothecaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apothecaries. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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