pharmacognosy

noun

phar·​ma·​cog·​no·​sy ˌfär-mə-ˈkäg-nə-sē 

: a branch of pharmacology dealing with medicinal substances of biological origin and especially medicinal substances obtained from plants

pharmacognostic

ˌfär-mə-ˌkäg-ˈnä-stik 

adjective

or pharmacognostical

ˌfär-mə-ˌkäg-ˈnä-sti-kəl 

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary, from Greek pharmakon + -gnōsia knowledge, from gnōsis — more at gnosis

First Known Use

circa 1885, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

pharmacognosy

noun

phar·​ma·​cog·​no·​sy ˌfär-mə-ˈkäg-nə-sē 

plural pharmacognosies

: a branch of pharmacology dealing especially with the composition, use, and development of medicinal substances of biological origin and especially medicinal substances obtained from plants

pharmacognostic

-ˌkäg-ˈnäs-tik 

adjective

or pharmacognostical

-ti-kəl