apothecary
apothecary Lexical Profile
apothecary Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A person who prepared and sold medicines, drugs, and herbal remedies; a historical forerunner of the modern pharmacist or chemist.
"In the medieval town, residents visited the local apothecary for herbal poultices and tinctures."
A shop, store, or dispensary where medicines, herbal remedies, and sundry toiletries are compounded and sold.
"She stepped into the neighborhood apothecary to buy lavender essential oil and handmade soap."
Word Nuance & Usage
In contemporary usage, 'apothecary' is largely historical or used stylistically by boutique shops selling herbal remedies and artisanal cosmetics, whereas 'pharmacist' (or 'chemist' in British English) is the standard modern term for a licensed medical professional.
• Rhymes for apothecary
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived via Old French and Medieval Latin 'apothecarius' from Late Latin 'apotheca' (storehouse or wine cellar), which comes from Ancient Greek 'apotheke' (repository), literally meaning 'a place where things are put away'. It shares its Greek root with 'boutique' and 'bodega'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.