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officinal
[ uh-fis-uh-nl ]
/ əˈfɪs ə nl /
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This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
adjective
kept in stock by apothecaries, as a drug.Compare magistral (def. 1).
recognized by a pharmacopoeia.
noun
an officinal medicine.
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Origin of officinal
1710–20; <Medieval Latin officīnālis of a store or workshop, equivalent to Latin officīn(a) workshop, presumably contraction of opificīna (opific-, stem of opifex artisan, equivalent to opi-, combining form akin to opus work + -fic-, combining form of facere to make, do1 + -īna-ine1; cf. office) + -ālis-al1
OTHER WORDS FROM officinal
of·fic·i·nal·ly, adverbnon·of·fic·i·nal, adjectiveWords nearby officinal
Official Solicitor, official strike, officiant, officiary, officiate, officinal, officious, officious will, offing, offish, off-island
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use officinal in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for officinal
officinal
/ (ɒˈfɪsɪnəl, ˌɒfɪˈsaɪnəl) pharmacol obsolete /
adjective
(of pharmaceutical products) available without prescription
(of a plant) having pharmacological properties
noun
an officinal preparation or plant
Derived forms of officinal
officinally, adverbWord Origin for officinal
C17: from Medieval Latin officīnālis, from Latin officīna workshop; see office
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Medical definitions for officinal
officinal
[ ə-fĭs′ə-nəl, ŏf′ĭ-sī′nəl ]
adj.
Readily available in pharmacies; not requiring special preparation.
Recognized by a pharmacopoeia.
n.
An official drug.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.