medical

[ med-i-kuh l ]

/ ˈmɛd ɪ kəl /

adjective

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.

pertaining to or giving evidence of the state of one's health: a medical discharge from the army; a medical examination.

noun

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

Nearby words

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 -al¹

Related forms

med·i·cal·ly, adverban·ti·med·i·cal, adjectivean·ti·med·i·cal·ly, adverbnon·med·i·cal, adjective

non·med·i·cal·ly, adverbpseu·do·med·i·cal, adjectivepseu·do·med·i·cal·ly, adverbqua·si-med·i·cal, adjectivequa·si-med·i·cal·ly, adverbun·med·i·cal, adjectiveun·med·i·cal·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for nonmedical

Students with a history of drug and alcohol use are also more likely to take stimulants for nonmedical reasons.
7 Things You Need to Know About Adderall|Brandy Zadrozny|December 2, 2013|DAILY BEAST
We needed a nonmedical outsider to take a look, to tell us what we were missing.
The Dark Door|Alan Edward Nourse

British Dictionary definitions for nonmedical

nonmedical

/ (nɒnˈmɛdɪkəl) /

adjective

not of, relating to, or using medical theory or practice

medical

/ (ˈmɛdɪkəl) /

adjective

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

a less common word for medicinal

noun

informal a medical examination

Derived Formsmedically, adverb

Word Origin for medical

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for nonmedical

medical

adj.

1640s, from French médical, from Late Latin medicalis "of a physician," from Latin medicus "physician, surgeon, medical man" (n.); "healing, madicinal" (adj.), from mederi "to heal, give medical attention to, cure," originally "know the best course for," from an early specialization of the PIE root *med- "to measure, limit, consider, advise, take appropriate measures" (cf. Greek medomai "be mindful of," medein "to rule;" Avestan vi-mad- "physician;" Latin meditari "think or reflect on, consider;" Irish miduir "judge;" Old English metan "to measure out"); also see meditation. The earlier adjective in English in this sense was medicinal. Related: Medically.

medical

1917, short for medical examination.

Medicine definitions for nonmedical

medical

[ mĕd′ĭ-kəl ]

adj.

Of, relating to, or characterizing the study or practice of medicine.

Requiring treatment by medicine.

n.

A thorough physical examination.