apothecary

American  

[uh-poth-uh-ker-ee] / əˈpɒθ əˌkɛr i /

noun

apothecaries plural

1. a druggist; a pharmacist.

2. a pharmacy or drugstore.

3. (especially in England and Ireland) a druggist licensed to prescribe medicine.

---

apothecary British  

/ əˈpɒθɪkərɪ /

noun

1. an archaic word for pharmacist

2. law a chemist licensed by the Society of Apothecaries of London to prescribe, prepare, and sell drugs

---

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• apothecaries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of apothecary

1325–75; Middle English (< Old French ) < Medieval Latin apothēcārius seller of spices and drugs, Late Latin: shopkeeper, equivalent to Latin apothēc ( a ) shop, storehouse (< Greek apothḗkē; see apo-, theca) + -ārius -ary

Explanation

Although the sign at the back of the shop in the old town square said apothecary, most people called the man behind the counter by his modern title, "pharmacist," instead. This five-syllable word, apothecary, which entered English in the 14th century, derives from the Latin apothēca, "storehouse." It became a title for the person who was skilled in preparing medicines. "Pharmacist" is a more common synonym for apothecary. Some contemporary companies and drugstore owners use the old-fashioned charm of the term apothecary to label products they sell.

Example Sentences

There’s a store called Nappily Naturals & Apothecary in Leimert Park — they do healing remedies and meditation — and they will be curating the healing tent.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2026

Local farmers market vendor Arcana Apothecary sells a $60, one-pound block of cacao that is made entirely by women in Guatemala, and pure organic cacao powder is also available at Erewhon.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 5, 2025

Rose Apothecary Ring Dish: “Schitt’s Creek” fans who are still mourning the end of the series will appreciate this classy 4-by-4-inch catchall memorializing Rose Apothecary.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 2, 2021

So it irked Carrie Doyle, an author who lives in New York City and East Hampton, when she saw Mr. Stephanopoulos at White’s Apothecary about a week later.

From New York Times • Apr. 16, 2020

The world was changing, and the Apothecary grew bitter.

From "A Monster Calls" by Patrick Ness