medicine

noun

med·​i·​cine ˈme-di-sən How to pronounce medicine (audio)
British usually
ˈmed-sən How to pronounce medicine (audio)
plural medicines
Synonyms of medicinenext
1
a
: a substance or preparation used in treating disease
cough medicine
b
: something that affects well-being
He's bad medicine.—Zane Grey
2
a
: the science and art dealing with the maintenance of health and the prevention, alleviation, or cure of disease
She's interested in a career in medicine.
b
: the branch of medicine concerned with the nonsurgical treatment of disease
3
: a substance (such as a drug or potion) used to treat something other than disease
4
: an object (such as a stone, animal bone, or plant root) which in some Indigenous American traditions is held to give control over natural or magical forces
also : magical power or a magical rite
medicine transitive verb

Synonyms of medicine

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Examples of medicine in a Sentence

He forgot to take his medicine. Did you look in the medicine cabinet for a pain reliever? Their research has led to many important advances in modern medicine. She's interested in a career in medicine.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Unable to practice medicine, Shanahan became a patient advocate who works with a group called the Patient-Centered Dosing Initiative. — CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026 Soon, the horrifying virus is everywhere, and resulting scarcities of water, food, and medicine cause panic, which leads to false conspiracy theories, riots, and an utter collapse of social trust. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 19 Aug. 2026 There were the small things at first — taking her medicine in the morning, remembering to defrost the meat before dinner — ordinary tasks that had become so routine that Stuart, now 54 and living in Boston, barely had to think about them. — Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 19 Aug. 2026 The medicines have long been a target of Kennedy, who was a leader in the anti-vaccine movement before joining the government. — Matthew Perrone, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for medicine

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin medicina, from feminine of medicinus of a physician, from medicus

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of medicine was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing medicine

Rhymes for medicine

See All Rhymes for medicine

Browse Nearby Words

medicinal wafer
medicine
medicine bag
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Medicine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/medicine. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

medicine

noun
med·​i·​cine ˈmed-ə-sən How to pronounce medicine (audio)
1
: a substance or preparation used in treating disease
2
: the science or art that deals with the prevention, cure, or easing of disease
especially : the practice of the physician as it differs from that of the surgeon
3
: an object, power, or ceremony held to give control over natural or magical forces

Medical Definition

medicine

noun
med·​i·​cine
ˈmed-ə-sən, British usually ˈmed-sən
1
: a substance or preparation used in treating disease
2
a
: the science and art dealing with the maintenance of health and the prevention, alleviation, or cure of disease
b
: the branch of medicine concerned with the nonsurgical treatment of disease

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Nglish: Translation of medicine for Spanish Speakers

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