medicinal
Americanadjective
-
of, relating to, or having the properties of a medicine; curative; remedial.
medicinal properties; medicinal substances.
-
unpalatable; disagreeable.
a medicinal taste.
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of medicinal
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English word from Latin word medicīnālis. See medicine, -al 1
Explanation
A substance that can cure or heal you is medicinal. Some people swear that chicken soup has medicinal qualities when you have a cold. Herbalists grow medicinal plants, such as mint and witch hazel, that have healing properties for various ailments. Your mother may believe in the medicinal properties of a hot cup of tea, while other people swear by the medicinal quality of the salty sea air. The adjective medicinal comes from medicine and has a Latin root, medicina, "the healing art, a remedy, or medicine."
Vocabulary lists containing medicinal
"Rappaccini's Daughter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne
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Unit 1, Week 3
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med (heal; care for)
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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.
For several weeks each year, ethnic Tibetans in this village pluck matsutake mushrooms, a flavorful fungus that is believed to boast medicinal properties—and can make fortunes in this less-developed corner of China.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026
I treat her with medicinal plants and medication.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
By identifying the first biochemical steps required to make atisinium, the team has gained an important starting point for studying the broader diterpenoid alkaloid family and its potentially useful medicinal properties.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 3, 2026
The actual Tann was born to free parents and, according to some sources, served in the Union Army before moving to Kansas, where he became known for combining medicinal treatment with physical therapy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
Perhaps it was a medicinal inhaler of some sort.
From "Son" by Lois Lowry
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.
