medicine
noun
med·i·cine
ˈme-di-sən 
British usually
ˈmed-sən
1
a
: a substance or preparation used in treating disease
cough medicine
b
: something that affects well-being
he's bad medicine—
Zane Grey
Zane Grey2
a
: the science and art dealing with the maintenance of health and the prevention, alleviation, or cure of disease
She's interested in a career in medicine.
b
: the branch of medicine concerned with the nonsurgical treatment of disease
3
: a substance (such as a drug or potion) used to treat something other than disease
4
: an object held in traditional American Indian belief to give control over natural or magical forces
also
: magical power or a magical rite
medicine
transitive verb
Examples of medicine in a Sentence
He forgot to take his medicine.
Did you look in the medicine cabinet for a pain reliever?
Their research has led to many important advances in modern medicine.
She's interested in a career in medicine.
Recent Examples on the Web
All of this — new medicines, new jobs, new opportunities for kids — is too important to lose.
—Megan Barkdull, Orlando Sentinel, 16 Mar. 2025
Although the secretary of state and Elon Musk have assured the public that the new administration’s actions have not disrupted the distribution of life-saving medicine, that just isn’t true.
—John Green, The Atlantic, 15 Mar. 2025
The residence belongs to an executive at Bayer, the German pharmaceutical company valued at nearly $50 billion which makes medicines such as Aleve and Aspirin.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, People.com, 14 Mar. 2025
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the world’s largest government funder of biomedical research and makes financial and practical contributions to all stages of it, including pre-clinical scientific investigations, translational medicine, and clinical trials.
—Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for medicine
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.
Megan Barkdull, Orlando Sentinel, 16 Mar. 2025
Although the secretary of state and Elon Musk have assured the public that the new administration’s actions have not disrupted the distribution of life-saving medicine, that just isn’t true.
—John Green, The Atlantic, 15 Mar. 2025
The residence belongs to an executive at Bayer, the German pharmaceutical company valued at nearly $50 billion which makes medicines such as Aleve and Aspirin.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, People.com, 14 Mar. 2025
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the world’s largest government funder of biomedical research and makes financial and practical contributions to all stages of it, including pre-clinical scientific investigations, translational medicine, and clinical trials.
—Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for medicine
Articles Related to medicine
Cite this Entry
“Medicine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/medicine. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
medicine
noun
med·i·cine
ˈmed-ə-sən
1
: a substance or preparation used in treating disease
2
: the science or art that deals with the prevention, cure, or easing of disease
especially
: the practice of the physician as it differs from that of the surgeon
3
: an object, power, or ceremony held to give control over natural or magical forces
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share