medical

American  

[med-i-kuhl] / ˈmɛd ɪ kəl /

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.

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noun

medicals plural

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

medical British  

/ 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

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noun

1. informal a medical examination

Usage

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.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• medicals
  plural

Etymology

Origin of medical

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

Explanation

Medical can describe the practice of medicine, or a type of illness or injury. If bright red spots have erupted all over your arms, you probably have some sort of medical condition, and it would be wise for you to visit a doctor. Medical comes from the Latin word mederi, meaning "to heal," which is exactly what medical professionals such as doctors and nurses are trained to do. When you arrive at your doctor's office or local emergency room complaining of various medical conditions ranging from strep throat to a sprained wrist, doctors provide the necessary medical care.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

medical medicals

Despite this, tens of thousands of people have experienced power and water outages across Kumamoto City and at least 45 medical facilities have been damaged.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

But in the middle of the next point, Alexandrova fell to the ground and needed immediate medical attention.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

His dedicated interest in schizophrenia began while he was a medical student at Georgetown in the early 1960s and grew during his time as a researcher at the National Institutes of Health.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

Have you ever gotten a medical bill that you weren’t expecting?

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026

“They got to have cadavers to cut up for their medical studies,” I explained.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

Foster says he currently has no concerns about the contest as long as they "pass their medicals and pass all their neurological batteries".

From BBC ● Feb. 19, 2026

He’s on a draftable trajectory right now, as long as the medicals are OK.”

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 16, 2022

New York chose not to offer Rocker a contract after evaluating his medicals.

From New York Times ● Jul. 18, 2022

Campbell said he had signed a new contract and reported to camp when, on the morning of the team’s medicals, there was a 6 a.m. knock at his door.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2021

—Have you found those six brave medicals, John Eglinton asked with elder's gall, to write Paradise Lost at your dictation?

From Ulysses by Joyce, James

Related Words

• medicinal
• therapeutic