Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

pharma

American  
[fahr-muh] / ˈfɑr mə /

noun

  1. a pharmaceutical company or pharmaceutical companies considered collectively.

    He works for pharma.

  2. Usually pharmaceutical companies considered collectively, especially with reference to their political and commercial influence.

    Pharma is expanding into China, hoping to replace local remedies with manufactured drugs.


adjective

  1. of or relating to pharmaceutical companies or the pharmaceutical industry.

    Pharma reps don't sell directly to doctors.

pharma British  
/ ˈfɑːmə /

noun

  1. pharmaceutical companies when considered together as an industry

"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

Etymology

Origin of pharma

First recorded in 1990–95; short for pharmaceutical

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.

Adjusted earnings beat consensus forecasts by 3%, driven by both pharma and agriculture, they add.

From The Wall Street Journal

At its pharma business, Bayer said the adjusted earnings decline reflected the costs of ramping up sales of recently launched medicines.

From The Wall Street Journal

The pharma giant struck a licensing deal to gain access to delivery technologies developed by U.S. startup Vivtex., to deepen its pipeline of next-generation obesity drugs.

From The Wall Street Journal

Retroactively changing the rules midtrial or later, she argues, creates instability not just for pharma, but for the patients waiting on these treatments.

From The Wall Street Journal

According to a White House fact sheet, exemptions remain for sectors that are under separate probes, including pharma, and goods entering the US under the US-Mexico-Canada agreement.

From Barron's