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pharmaceutic

pharmaceutic

7.9
A medicine made and given by a pharmacy to treat illness
  • noun
  • /ˌfɑːrməˈsjuːtɪk/
  • Specialized
translation icon : fármaco
  • Researchers are developing a new pharmaceutic to treat rare genetic disorders.

Examples

  • You should consult a doctor before taking any pharmaceutic.

  • Many pharmaceutics are developed to treat chronic illnesses.

  • The hospital has a strict policy for issuing any pharmaceutic to patients.

  • Is this pharmaceutic safe for children?

  • The new pharmaceutic was approved for use in treating high blood pressure.

  • Before starting any pharmaceutic, it is important to discuss potential side effects with your doctor.

  • Patients can obtain their prescribed pharmaceutic from the local pharmacy.

Synonyms

drug
vspharmaceutic
  • NSFW
1.9

A medicine or chemical that treats illness and sometimes changes how someone feels

is narrower stressing pharmacy preparation and medical treatment use
pharmaceutical
vspharmaceutic
  • Specialized
18 4.6

A medicine used to treat or prevent illness

is identical in meaning but differs as an alternate form
medicinal drug
vspharmaceutic
  • Specialized
3.3

A substance used to treat, prevent, or reduce symptoms of illness

emphasizes preparation and dispensing in pharmacies rather than treatment focus

Surface Forms

pharmaceutic singular
pharmaceutics plural

Morphology

pharmaceutic = pharmacy (opaque) = pharmaceut + ic

The noun sense 'a drug' does not follow a regular derivation from 'pharmacy' + -ic and the meaning is not directly predictable from the base form.

Etymology

Pharmaceutic comes from the old Greek word pharmakon, which meant 'drug' or 'medicine'. Like the words pharmacy and pharmacist, it points to a substance made in a pharmacy to treat patients, so a pharmaceutic is a medicine prepared or given for medical treatment.