medicine
//ˈmɛd.ɪ.s(ɪ)n//
Forms
- Plural
- medicines
Definitions
1.A substance which specifically promotes healing when ingested or consumed in some way; a pharmaceutical drug.
- This medicine has fewer adverse effects than others in its drug class.
- Using a weekly pill organizer is a good way to help remind yourself to take your medicine each day, and it also tells you whether you already took today's pills (it's not unusual to forget doing a habitual task)!
2.Any treatment or cure.
- A legislative remedy might be some harsh medicine; is that cure worse than the ill?
3.The study of the cause, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of disease or illness.
- She's studying medicine at university because she wants to be a doctor in the future.
4.The profession and practice of physicians, including surgeons.
- I got better after taking that medicine.
- I forgot to take my medicine this morning.
- I need allergy medicine, please.
Frequency
Overall
Common· #1645
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Uncommon
- General reading & writing
- Common
- Academic
- Uncommon
- Literature
- Rare
Etymology
From Middle English medicin, from Middle French medicine, from Old French medecine, from Latin medicīna (“the healing art, medicine, a physician's shop, a remedy, medicine”), feminine of medicīnus (“of or belonging to physic or surgery, or to a physician or surgeon”), from medicus (“a physician, surgeon”).