pharmacy

noun

phar·​ma·​cy ˈfär-mə-sē 

plural pharmacies

1

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

2

a

: a place where medicines are compounded or dispensed

b

: drugstore

3

: pharmacopoeia sense 2

Synonyms

• apothecary
• drugstore

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

According to the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, of the total number of students enrolled in first professional pharmacy degree programs for fall 2023, 67.8% were women. —Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024

Is Walgreens open on New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day? Walgreens pharmacies, including 24-hour pharmacies, will be open for regular hours on New Year’s Eve, a spokesperson confirmed to the Journal Sentinel. —Cailey Gleeson, Journal Sentinel, 27 Dec. 2024

Now that the shortage is over, specialty and compounding pharmacies — such as Henry Meds and Him — must stop selling their off-brand versions of the weight-loss drugs. —Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 26 Dec. 2024

Change Healthcare Ransomware Attack At the end of February, the medical billing and insurance processing company Change Healthcare was hit with a ransomware attack that caused disruptions at hospitals, doctor's offices, pharmacies, and other health care facilities around the US. —Lily Hay Newman, WIRED, 26 Dec. 2024

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

Kids Definition

pharmacy

noun

phar·​ma·​cy ˈfär-mə-sē 

plural pharmacies

1

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

2

a

: a place where medicines are made or distributed

b

: drugstore

Medical Definition

pharmacy

noun

phar·​ma·​cy ˈfär-mə-sē 

plural pharmacies

1

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

2

a

: a place where medicines are compounded or dispensed

a hospital pharmacy

b

: drugstore

3

: pharmacopoeia sense 2