patent medicine

noun

1. a medicine sold without a prescription in drugstores or by sales representatives, and usually protected by a trademark.
2. a medicine distributed by a company having a patent on its manufacture.

patent medicine

noun

1. a medicine protected by a patent and available without a doctor's prescription

Word History and Origins

Origin of patent medicine¹

First recorded in 1760–70

Example Sentences

He isn't one of these raw hayseeds who hands you chestnuts out of patent medicine almanacs.

From Project Gutenberg

It is interesting as showing the patent medicine faker's touching confidence in the power of advertising.

From Project Gutenberg

There is not a patent medicine on the market for which any more blatant, extravagant and ridiculous claims are made.

From Project Gutenberg

This product is another of the patent-medicine–ethical-proprietary type of nostrums.

From Project Gutenberg

Midol is not the only patent medicine in which pyramidon is the essential drug.

From Project Gutenberg