pharmaceutical
Americanadjective
noun
-
pharmaceuticals
plural
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
nonpharmaceuticadjective
-
nonpharmaceuticaladjective
-
nonpharmaceuticallyadverb
-
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
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for November 12–November 18, 2022
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for May 11–May 17, 2025
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Pharmacy Words
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Future studies will also need to evaluate effectiveness, safety, and how selectively pterostilbene acts on its intended biological targets before the findings can be developed into practical nutritional or pharmaceutical applications.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 5, 2026
If the boomer boom fizzles, you still own one of the world’s largest diversified pharmaceutical companies.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 5, 2026
After a 30-year career in the pharmaceutical industry, she found herself looking out of her window and thinking about the isolation and loneliness affecting the community around her.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
He tells clients in a note that the Australia-based pharmaceutical company has reinforced its competitive position as a major U.S. manufacturer of plasma-derived therapies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
They are employees of multinational industry: pharmaceutical salespeople, electronic engineers, information technology managers, accountants, data analysts, plant managers, regional vice presidents, biotechnologists, bankers, manufacturers’ representatives, and franchise chain managers.
From "Class Matters" by The New York Times
Beyond his exploits in Sao Paulo's financial hub Faria Lima, high-flying Vorcaro invested in real estate, pharmaceuticals, textiles and even soccer.
From Barron's ● Sep. 5, 2026
And it carries industrial chemicals, pesticides and pharmaceuticals.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
"He had been tried on cocktails of anti-epileptic pharmaceuticals and they just weren't working" Charlotte said.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
“I don’t think the race is finished,” said Stephen Farrelly, global lead for pharmaceuticals and healthcare at Dutch bank ING Group.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 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.
