medication
Americannoun
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medications
plural
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the use or application of medicine.
-
a medicinal substance; medicament.
noun
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treatment with drugs or remedies
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a drug or remedy
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of medication
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin medicātiōn- (stem of medicātiō ). See medicate, -ion
Explanation
If your doctor prescribes something for you to take, it's medication. Medication is another way to say "medicine" or "drug." Your poison ivy rash might be so bad that you need to take medication to stop the itching. People need medication for all sorts of illnesses and disorders throughout their lives, from headache medication to medication for cancer treatment. In the fifteenth century, the word meant "medical treatment of a disease or wound," from the Latin medicationem, "healing or cure," with its root in medicus, which means both "healing" and "physician."
Vocabulary lists containing medication
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Pharmacy Words
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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.
See Examples For:
Voters among all ideological groups believe that if a doctor says a service or medication is needed, then insurers should help cover the cost.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
The researchers believe that helping people take their medication consistently should become a greater priority in the treatment of high blood pressure.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 25, 2026
All participants were already taking at least one medication to lower their blood pressure, but their readings remained above recommended levels.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 24, 2026
For example, one form of a medication could successfully treat a disease, while its mirror-image counterpart might be ineffective or even harmful.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 24, 2026
Although the doctor administered oxygen and medication, by midnight Wlasich was dead.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
The approaches included senolytic medications, which are designed to eliminate senescent cells, a natural compound present in tomatoes, and genetic techniques intended to target particular populations of aging cells.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 27, 2026
Although medications help many patients manage their condition, a substantial number continue to have blood pressure readings above recommended targets even while receiving treatment.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 24, 2026
Most doctors until now have strongly advised against taking the medications until breast-feeding is completed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
“Right now, the FDA has approved only two medications for PTSD,” Liberzon said.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 23, 2026
He still enjoyed fried shrimp on occasion, but he took his medications diligently.
From "Class Matters" by The New York Times
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
