pharmacy

noun

phar·​ma·​cy ˈfär-mə-sē How to pronounce pharmacy (audio)
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
3

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 The fallout from the attack on Change Healthcare has been widespread, significantly hurting pharmacies, clinics, and providers. Jonathan Slotkin and David Vawdrey, STAT, 14 Mar. 2024 In desperation, some have turned to versions of the drug that are custom-made by compounding pharmacies with little oversight, despite the FDA expressing concerns about them. Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2024 Kohler paid $300 for what the pharmacy and its employees said were 30 pills of oxycodone and was later reimbursed by the friend who asked her to make the purchase for him. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2024 The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences used Change Healthcare to process pharmacy, medical and professional claims. Democrat-Gazette Staff and Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 9 Mar. 2024 Will other pharmacies start dispensing mifepristone? The Courier-Journal, 6 Mar. 2024 The online ads promote services, generally via telehealth, that prescribe ketamine — often in a lozenge prepared by a compounding pharmacy. Darius Tahir, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2024 Compounding pharmacists customize medications to fit an individual’s needs, and compounding pharmacies usually make only a couple of doses for a specific patient, which can lower the cost of production, CNN has previously reported. Sabrina Souza, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024 In just three years, she would be promoted to director of pharmacy. C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 2 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pharmacy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of pharmacy was in 1651

Dictionary Entries Near pharmacy

Cite this Entry

“Pharmacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pharmacy. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pharmacy

noun
phar·​ma·​cy ˈfär-mə-sē How to pronounce pharmacy (audio)
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

Medical Definition

pharmacy

noun
phar·​ma·​cy ˈfär-mə-sē How to pronounce pharmacy (audio)
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
3

More from Merriam-Webster on pharmacy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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