pharmaceutical
Americanadjective
noun
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.
Pharmaceutical companies are studying whether Alzheimer’s drugs on sale or in development could also slow or delay the onset of symptoms if given before they appear.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 15, 2026
In the pharma space, Swenson uses the $949 million VanEck Pharmaceutical ETF thanks to its global focus, preferring it over the $946 million iShares U.S.
From Barron's • May 6, 2026
Kintor Pharmaceutical, a Chinese biotech, is developing a gel designed to destroy the protein that triggers hair loss at the follicle.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026
Pharmaceutical group Novartis slid 4.4% after reporting lower profits, dragging on the healthcare sector more widely.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026
The first thing he said was: "Pharmaceutical companies."
From "Counting by 7s" by Holly Goldberg Sloan
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.
