medicine

[med-uh-sin, med-suhn]

noun

1. any substance or substances used in treating disease or illness; medicament; remedy.

   Synonyms: physic, pharmaceutical, drug, medication

2. the art or science of restoring or preserving health or due physical condition, as by means of drugs, surgical operations or appliances, or manipulations: often divided into medicine proper, surgery, and obstetrics.

3. the art or science of treating disease with drugs or curative substances, as distinguished from surgery and obstetrics.

4. the medical profession.

5. (among North American Indians) any object or practice regarded as having magical powers.

verb (used with object)

medicined, medicining 

1. to administer medicine to.

medicine

/ ˈmɛdsɪn, ˈmɛdɪsɪn /

noun

1. any drug or remedy for use in treating, preventing, or alleviating the symptoms of disease

2. the science of preventing, diagnosing, alleviating, or curing disease

3. any nonsurgical branch of medical science

4. the practice or profession of medicine

   he's in medicine

5. something regarded by primitive people as having magical or remedial properties

6. to accept a deserved punishment

7. an unpleasant experience in retaliation for and by similar methods to an unkind or aggressive act

medicine

1. The scientific study or practice of diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases or disorders of the body or mind of a person or animal.

2. An agent, such as a drug, used to treat disease or injury.

Other Word Forms

• antimedicine adjective
• supermedicine noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of medicine¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English medicin, from Latin medicīna (ars) “healing (art),” feminine of medicīnus “pertaining to a physician,” from medic(us) “physician” ( medical ) + -īnus -ine ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of medicine¹

C13: via Old French from Latin medicīna ( ars ) (art of) healing, from medicus doctor, from medērī to heal

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. give someone a dose / taste of his / her own medicine, to repay or punish a person for an injury by use of the offender's own methods.

2. take one's medicine, to undergo or accept punishment, especially deserved punishment.

   He took his medicine like a man.

see dose of one's own medicine; take one's medicine.

Example Sentences

While in Europe sunscreen is classed as a cosmetic, Australia regulates it as a therapeutic good – essentially a medicine – which means it is subject to some of the most robust sunscreen regulations in the world.

From BBC

And in the case of abandoning mRNA vaccine research, it may lead to lives needlessly lost, whether due to potential medicines untapped or to pandemic unpreparedness.

From Salon

In the UK, there are two medicines licensed to treat male pattern balding - finasteride and minoxidil.

From BBC

The company focuses on innovating and creating various medicines to help treat cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, inflammatory diseases and other rare diseases.

From Los Angeles Times

In 1956, he began a medicine degree - but dropped out after three years and joined the army.

From BBC

Related Words

• antibiotic 
• cure 
• drug 
• medication 
• pharmaceutical 
• pill 
• prescription 
• remedy