pharmacology

noun

phar·​ma·​col·​o·​gy ˌfär-mə-ˈkä-lə-jē How to pronounce pharmacology (audio)
1
: the science of drugs including their origin, composition, pharmacokinetics, therapeutic use, and toxicology
2
: the properties and reactions of drugs especially with relation to their therapeutic value
pharmacological
ˌfär-mə-kə-ˈlä-ji-kəl How to pronounce pharmacology (audio)
adjective
or less commonly pharmacologic
ˌfär-mə-kə-ˈlä-jik How to pronounce pharmacology (audio)
pharmacologically
ˌfär-mə-kə-ˈlä-ji-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce pharmacology (audio)
adverb
pharmacologist
ˌfär-mə-ˈkä-lə-jist How to pronounce pharmacology (audio)
noun

Examples of pharmacology in a Sentence

We don't have a complete understanding of the new drug's pharmacology yet.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Gardening with bare hands can be both a hobby, and for a developing brain, pharmacology. — John La Puma, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2026 Future doctors at some medical schools are learning more than anatomy, pathology and pharmacology these days. — Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2026 Driven by expectation, context and social cues rather than pharmacology, the placebo effect is often dismissed as all in the mind. — Phil Starks, The Conversation, 21 Apr. 2026 What Brooks proffers is not the philosophy these queries require but a kind of pharmacology—a pill designed to alleviate every last pang. — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pharmacology

Word History

First Known Use

1698, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pharmacology was in 1698

Rhymes for pharmacology

See All Rhymes for pharmacology

Browse Nearby Words

pharmacological
pharmacology
pharmaco-oryctology
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pharmacology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pharmacology. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

pharmacology

noun
phar·​ma·​col·​o·​gy ˌfär-mə-ˈkäl-ə-jē How to pronounce pharmacology (audio)
1
: the study of drugs, their composition, effects, and use in medicine
2
: the properties and reactions of drugs especially with relation to their medical value
pharmacological
-kə-ˈläj-i-kəl How to pronounce pharmacology (audio)
adjective
also pharmacologic
-ˈläj-ik How to pronounce pharmacology (audio)
pharmacologically
-i-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce pharmacology (audio)
adverb

Medical Definition

pharmacology

noun
phar·​ma·​col·​o·​gy ˌfär-mə-ˈkäl-ə-jē How to pronounce pharmacology (audio)
plural pharmacologies
1
: the science of drugs including their origin, composition, pharmacokinetics, therapeutic use, and toxicology
2
: the properties and reactions of drugs especially with relation to their therapeutic value
pharmacological
-kə-ˈläj-i-kəl How to pronounce pharmacology (audio)
adjective
also pharmacologic
-ik How to pronounce pharmacology (audio)
pharmacologically
-i-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce pharmacology (audio)
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on pharmacology

Nglish: Translation of pharmacology for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pharmacology

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