pharmaceutical
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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nonpharmaceuticadjective
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nonpharmaceuticaladjective
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nonpharmaceuticallyadverb
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pharmaceuticallyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of pharmaceutical
First recorded in 1640–50; pharmaceutic(s) + -al 1
Explanation
A pharmaceutical is any kind of drug used for medicinal purposes, like cough syrup or sleeping pills. You may have heard of a pharmacy, which is a place where you can buy medicinal drugs, or a pharmacist, which is a person who prepares those drugs. In general, a pharmaceutical is anything related to pharmacies or pharmacists, though it especially refers to the kinds of medicines that they sell. Pharmaceuticals are often contrasted with what are called recreational drugs, which are the illegal kind that are generally used for entertainment purposes rather than to help heal the body.
Vocabulary lists containing pharmaceutical
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for May 11–May 17, 2025
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Pharmacy Words
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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.
See Examples For:
The pharmaceutical industry, meanwhile, was eager to create “the next blockbuster drug, something on the order of Thorazine and Valium.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
The method could create new opportunities in chemistry, biology, and pharmaceutical science.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026
Nelson said he expects continuing rapid growth for Sterling, not only from the build-out of data centers but from an “onshoring trend” in semiconductor and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
Beltrán was born in Manati, Puerto Rico, where his father, Wilfredo Beltrán worked at a pharmaceutical company.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
In 2006 an NIH researcher gave thousands of tissue samples to the pharmaceutical company Pfizer in exchange for about half a million dollars.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
Landlocked Switzerland’s economy is highly dependent on exports, including its luxury watches, pharmaceuticals and high-tech machinery.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
Danish pharmaceuticals heavyweight Novo Nordisk said Tuesday it is suing its arch US rival, Eli Lilly, over "false and materially misleading" adverts for their competing weight-loss and anti-diabetes treatments.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
Beyond obesity, they see opportunity for large-cap pharmaceuticals, which continue to generate resilient earnings growth even amid patent-expiry worries.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
It’s the first time the agency has designated pharmaceuticals as a contaminant group, according to an April press release.
From Salon ● Jul. 6, 2026
Tony’s business interests are diverse: waste management, luxury auto exports, pharmaceuticals, etc.
From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner
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.
