medical
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to the science or practice of medicine.
medical history; medical treatment.
-
curative; medicinal; therapeutic.
medical properties.
-
pertaining to or requiring treatment by other than surgical means.
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pertaining to or giving evidence of the state of one's health.
a medical discharge from the army; a medical examination.
noun
adjective
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of or relating to the science of medicine or to the treatment of patients by drugs, etc, as opposed to surgery
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a less common word for medicinal
noun
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
- antimedical adjective
- antimedically adverb
- medically adverb
- nonmedical adjective
- nonmedically adverb
- pseudomedical adjective
- pseudomedically adverb
- quasi-medical adjective
- quasi-medically adverb
- unmedical adjective
- unmedically adverb
Etymology
Origin of medical
1640–50; < Medieval Latin medicālis, equivalent to Latin medic ( us ) medical (adj.), physician (noun) (derivative of medērī to heal; -ic ) + -ālis -al 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Veterinarians believe Sparky was struck by a car and dragged down the asphalt street, tearing ligaments and leaving him with a bone-deep wound — and his family with significant medical bills.
From Los Angeles Times
If he’d succeeded in getting medical retirement, he would have received 85% of his salary for life, tax-free, the Sacramento County D.A.’s office said.
From Los Angeles Times
South Korea's national health insurance currently covers treatments for hair loss caused by medical conditions.
From BBC
Dr David Levy, a cancer specialist and former medical director, visited all nine gender clinics in England as part of his inquiry.
From BBC
I don’t mind medical tourism, but I was a bit irked this summer when he sent me to a hospital in Chicago.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
