pharmacy

noun

phar·ma·cy ˈfär-mə-sē

plural pharmacies

Synonyms of pharmacy

: the art, practice, or profession of preparing, preserving, compounding, and dispensing medical drugs

: a place where medicines are compounded or dispensed

: drugstore

: pharmacopoeia sense 2

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

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.

As one example, the Automation of Reports and Consolidated Orders System data tracks opioid shipments from distributors to pharmacies and was disclosed under court order following litigation in 2019, about eight years after peak opioid prescribing. — J. Travis Donahoe, STAT, 23 Oct. 2026 Some employers are considering whether to help their staffers buy GLP-1 drugs for weight loss directly from the manufacturers or other partners, such as Costco’s pharmacy, said Matthew Rae, associate director at KFF. — Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026 Cuban wants standardized contracts for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and third-party administrators. — Emma Witman, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026 With the national power shortfall exceeding 3,000 megawatts, the government has imposed sweeping cuts, exempting only essential services such as hospitals and pharmacies. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pharmacy

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

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Pharmacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pharmacy. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

pharmacy

noun

phar·ma·cy ˈfär-mə-sē

plural pharmacies

: the art, practice, or profession of preparing drugs according to a doctor's prescription

: a place where medicines are made or distributed

: drugstore

Medical Definition

pharmacy

noun

phar·ma·cy ˈfär-mə-sē

plural pharmacies

: the art, practice, or profession of preparing, preserving, compounding, and dispensing medical drugs

: a place where medicines are compounded or dispensed

a hospital pharmacy

: drugstore

: pharmacopoeia sense 2

pharmacy

noun

Synonyms of pharmacy

Examples of pharmacy in a Sentence

Word History

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Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Medical Definition

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