apothecaries

plural of apothecary
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of apothecaries Mummy powder was one of the top-selling items at apothecaries across Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries. — Michele Metych Britannica Editors Sep. 29, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Sep. 2026 Everyday rituals, like cooking with intention or creating herbal apothecaries, are becoming magical and meaningful hobbies. — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 27 Aug. 2026 There were few professional doctors, so healthcare came from midwives, bonesetters who also cut hair and removed cataracts, ministers, and community members, including apothecaries and plantation root doctors who were knowledgeable about plants. — Katherine Ott, The Conversation, 2 July 2026 Eventually, hard candies were made from the plant and carried in many apothecaries and general stores. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 23 June 2026 Belif is predominantly a skin care brand, inspired by 19th-century apothecaries and their herbal medicines, mixed with modern scientific Korean beauty theory. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026 In densely populated neighborhoods of flimsy wooden houses, charcoal braziers tumbled over, fuel tanks ruptured, combustible chemicals in apothecaries exploded, and high winds fanned the flames through alleys. — Joshua Hammer, The New York Review of Books, 19 Mar. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apothecaries
Noun
  • Other universities may have a medical school to graduate physicians, or a school of nursing, or a program to educate pharmacists.
    — Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Two pharmacists at a nearby drug store also claimed that, the day prior to the murders, Lizzie had come in seeking to purchase prussic acid, a deadly poison only available with a doctor’s prescription.
    — Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • So far there has been little sign of major shortages of medicines at Iran's hospitals, but the difficulties are showing at pharmacies.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Chicago has long faced unequal health outcomes, especially in Black and brown communities dealing with poverty, cultural barriers to trust, and limited access to care, food and pharmacies.
    — Garth Walker, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Apothecaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apothecaries. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

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