medical

[med-i-kuhl]

adjective

1. of or relating to the science or practice of medicine.

   medical history; medical treatment.

2. curative; medicinal; therapeutic.

   medical properties.

3. pertaining to or requiring treatment by other than surgical means.

4. pertaining to or giving evidence of the state of one's health.

   a medical discharge from the army; a medical examination.

noun

1. something done or received in regard to the state of one's health, as a medical examination.

medical

/ ˈmɛdɪkəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to the science of medicine or to the treatment of patients by drugs, etc, as opposed to surgery

2. a less common word for medicinal

noun

1. informal,  a medical examination

Other Word Forms

• medically adverb
• antimedical adjective
• antimedically adverb
• nonmedical adjective
• nonmedically adverb
• pseudomedical adjective
• pseudomedically adverb
• quasi-medical adjective
• quasi-medically adverb
• unmedical adjective
• unmedically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of medical¹

1640–50; < Medieval Latin medicālis, equivalent to Latin medic ( us ) medical (adj.), physician (noun) (derivative of medērī to heal; -ic ) + -ālis -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of medical¹

C17: from Medieval Latin medicālis, from Latin medicus physician, surgeon, from medērī to heal

Example Sentences

Resident doctors are qualified doctors who have completed a medical degree.

From BBC

The court heard that there was "never any need" for force to be used on Mr Marshall and that he should have received medical attention instead.

From BBC

They did not indicate why the medical care stopped.

From Los Angeles Times

Not ski masks, not balaclavas, not even medical masks — which many officers refused to don even during the pandemic.

From Los Angeles Times

According to its own data, in 2022-23, only a fifth of donors on the UK registry were able to donate on the date requested by the patient's medical team due to capacity issues.

From BBC

Related Words

• medicinal 
• therapeutic 

When To Use

What does medical mean?

Medical describes something related to the science or practice of medicine, as in My doctor’s medical experience with cancer is extensive.Medical also describes something that provides a cure or therapy for an illness or disease, as in Garlic has medical properties that have been widely studied.Example: He has to receive medical treatment one way or another.