pharmaceutical

1 of 2

adjective

phar·​ma·​ceu·​ti·​cal ˌfär-mə-ˈsü-ti-kəl How to pronounce pharmaceutical (audio)
: of, relating to, or engaged in pharmacy or the manufacture and sale of pharmaceuticals
a pharmaceutical company
pharmaceutically adverb

pharmaceutical

2 of 2

noun

: a medicinal drug

Examples of pharmaceutical in a Sentence

Adjective lobbyists from the pharmaceutical industry Noun some pharmaceuticals can be quite risky unless taken correctly
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Many plaintiffs have never lived in the state, and the pharmaceutical company’s U.S. headquarters are in Rahway, New Jersey. Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 8 Mar. 2024 The pharmaceutical industry’s all-out attack on President Biden’s drug negotiation initiative for Medicare — comprising nine federal lawsuits (so far) and lots of heavy breathing by lobbyists — has just run into a major snag. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024 The case is the first of a slew of cases filed by the pharmaceutical industry and its allies to be decided at the district court level. Rachel Cohrs, STAT, 1 Mar. 2024 Creech's lawyers had argued that the state failed to provide sufficient information about the source of the lethal injection drug pentobarbital, and suggested it may have been obtained by a pharmaceutical company that went out of business last year and recalled the product. Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2024 And it was demonstrated by the security guard at a large pharmaceutical company who figured out how to remove the gate in the parking lot and develop a more efficient security system for ensuring that all visitors were authorized. Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 Going from there to the pharmaceutical sector is a natural progression. Peter Vanham, Fortune Europe, 27 Feb. 2024 But in 1996, Giusti, then a 37-year-old pharmaceutical executive, was a terrified young mother who had just been given three years to live. Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 25 Feb. 2024 Ten doctors, two pharmaceutical executives and two businesses have been indicted in a scheme to bribe doctors for prescriptions, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton said in a news release. Nicole Lopez, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Feb. 2024
Noun
Read more: Australia is showing us what happens when Tesla-beating BYD faces no tariffs and is free to grow The investigation is part of a broader EU effort to protect supply lines and bring production closer to home, particularly in key sectors like semiconductors and pharmaceuticals. Jorge Valero, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2024 Over four hours, the debate spanned most of the substantive issues that pharmaceutical companies and their allies have raised across the country, both in constitutional challenges to the law and in challenges to how Medicare officials have interpreted the law so far. Rachel Cohrs, STAT, 7 Mar. 2024 Big multinational pharmaceutical companies invest billions in R&D in search of the next big thing. Marc Cooper, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 The message also warned of other potential hazards like unregulated alcohol and pharmaceuticals. Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 1 Mar. 2024 The country has long been one of the world’s leading manufacturing nations, making everything from cars, washing machines and power tools to medical devices and pharmaceuticals. Hanna Ziady, CNN, 10 Feb. 2024 Known for its expert commercial real estate advice and services for industries ranging from pharmaceuticals to insurance, Cresa's reports point to a variety of major changes that will impact commercial property trends in 2024 and beyond. Kansas City Star, 8 Feb. 2024 The earlier pharmaceutical companies embrace these technological advancements, the better. Steve King, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 Last month Novo Nordisk, the Danish pharmaceutical giant behind Ozempic and anti-obesity drug Wegovy, reported that its 2023 revenue surged 36% in constant-currency terms compared with the year before. Andrea Chang, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pharmaceutical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Late Latin pharmaceuticus, from Greek pharmakeutikos, from pharmakeuein to administer drugs — more at pharmacy

First Known Use

Adjective

1636, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1829, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pharmaceutical was in 1636

Dictionary Entries Near pharmaceutical

Cite this Entry

“Pharmaceutical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pharmaceutical. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pharmaceutical

1 of 2 adjective
phar·​ma·​ceu·​ti·​cal ˌfär-mə-ˈsüt-i-kəl How to pronounce pharmaceutical (audio)
: of, relating to, or involved in pharmacy or the manufacture and sale of medicinal drugs
a pharmaceutical company
pharmaceutically adverb

pharmaceutical

2 of 2 noun
: a drug or preparation used in medicine

Medical Definition

pharmaceutical

1 of 2 adjective
phar·​ma·​ceu·​ti·​cal ˌfär-mə-ˈsüt-i-kəl How to pronounce pharmaceutical (audio)
variants also pharmaceutic
: of, relating to, or engaged in pharmacy or the manufacture and sale of pharmaceuticals
a pharmaceutical company
pharmaceutically adverb

pharmaceutical

2 of 2 noun
variants also pharmaceutic
: a medicinal drug
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!