pharmacy

Where does the word "pharmacy" come from? It comes from Greek pharmakeia, passing through Medieval Latin before entering English (1300s).

Pharmacy’s story begins in Greek: pharmakeia meant “use of drugs.” From 'pharmakon', a drug, which also meant poison and a magic charm. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Medieval Latin as pharmacia. Used for medicines and their preparation. It reached English by 1300s as pharmacy. The sense of a drugstore dates from the 1830s. Today, pharmacy means a shop where medicines are prepared and sold.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient pharmakeia "use of drugs", from 'pharmakon', a drug, which also meant poison and a magic charm.
2. Stage 2 · Medieval Latin · medieval pharmacia "medicine", used for medicines and their preparation.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s pharmacy "a shop for medicines", the sense of a drugstore dates from the 1830s.