Medicine

Quick meaning: Medicine is a noun meaning (uncountable, countable) A substance which specifically promotes healing when ingested or consumed in some way; a pharmaceutical drug.

Meaning

(uncountable, countable) A substance which specifically promotes healing when ingested or consumed in some way; a pharmaceutical drug.

More Meanings

1. (loosely, countable) Any treatment or cure.
2. (uncountable) The study of the cause, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of disease or illness.
3. (uncountable) The profession and practice of physicians, including surgeons.
4. (uncountable) Ritual magic used, as by a medicine man, to promote a desired outcome in healing, hunting, or warfare; traditional medicine.
5. Among the Native Americans, any object supposed to give control over natural or magical forces, to act as a protective charm, or to cause healing.
6. (obsolete) Black magic, superstition.
7. (obsolete) A philter or love potion.

Example Sentences

This medicine has fewer adverse effects than others in its drug class.

A legislative remedy might be some harsh medicine; is that cure worse than the ill?

She's studying medicine at university because she wants to be a doctor in the future.

Surely every medicine is an innovation; and he that will not apply new remedies, must expect new evils […]

Word Forms

• medicines
• medicin
• medicining
• medicined

Synonyms for medicine

Depending on context, synonyms include drug, prescription, pharmaceutical, elixir, regimen, course.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include medication, medicate, medicament, music, prescription, pharmaceutical.

Related Dictionary Tools