First Known Use: 13th century
Dictionary
medicine
noun med·i·cine \ˈme-də-sən, British usually ˈmed-sən\
: a substance that is used in treating disease or relieving pain and that is usually in the form of a pill or a liquid
: the science that deals with preventing, curing, and treating diseases
Full Definition of MEDICINE
1
a : a substance or preparation used in treating disease b : something that affects well-being
2
a : the science and art dealing with the maintenance of health and the prevention, alleviation, or cure of disease b : the branch of medicine concerned with the nonsurgical treatment of disease
3
: a substance (as a drug or potion) used to treat something other than disease
4
: an object held in traditional American Indian belief to give control over natural or magical forces; also : magical power or a magical rite
— medicine transitive verb
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Origin of MEDICINE
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin medicina, from feminine of medicinus of a physician, from medicus
Related to MEDICINE
- Synonyms
- cure, drug, medicament, medication, medicinal, pharmaceutical, physic, remedy, specific
MEDICINE Defined for Kids
medicine
noun med·i·cine \ˈme-də-sən\
Definition of MEDICINE for Kids
1
: something (as a pill or liquid) used to prevent, cure, or relieve a disease
2
: a science dealing with the prevention, cure, or relief of disease
Medical Dictionary
medicine
noun med·i·cine \ˈmed-ə-sən, British usually ˈmed-sən\
Medical Definition of MEDICINE
1
: a substance or preparation used in treating disease
2
a : the science and art dealing with the maintenance of health and the prevention, alleviation, or cure of disease b : the branch of medicine concerned with the nonsurgical treatment of disease
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