pharmacopoeia

or phar·ma·co·pe·ia

[ fahr-muh-kuh-pee-uh ]

noun

, Pharmacology.

1. a book published usually under the jurisdiction of the government and containing a list of drugs, their formulas, methods for making medicinal preparations, requirements and tests for their strength and purity, and other related information.
2. a stock of drugs.

pharmacopoeia

/ ˌfɑːməkəˈpiːə /

noun

1. an authoritative book containing a list of medicinal drugs with their uses, preparation, dosages, formulas, etc

Derived Forms

• ˌpharmacoˈpoeial, adjective
• ˌpharmacoˈpoeist, noun

Other Words From

• pharma·co·poeial pharma·co·poeic adjective
• pharma·co·poeist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of pharmacopoeia¹

1615–25; < New Latin < Greek pharmakopoiía drug-maker's art, equivalent to phármako ( n ) drug + -poi ( os ) making ( poi ( eîn ) to make + -os adj. suffix) + -ia -ia

Word History and Origins

Origin of pharmacopoeia¹

C17: via New Latin from Greek pharmakopoiia art of preparing drugs, from pharmaco- + -poiia, from poiein to make

Example Sentences

Fortunately, Borneo’s rich biodiversity offers a vast pharmacopoeia.

From Science Magazine

She added, “There’s a pharmacopoeia out there waiting to be explored.”

From New York Times

Greek physician, wrote in his famous five-volume pharmacopoeia of plants and their medicines, “De Materia Medica”: “The Herb Scorpius resembleth the tail of the Scorpion, and is good against his bitings.”

From New York Times

He saw his “pharmacopoeia” of medicinal plants, lavender, daffodils, sea kale and wild bees as therapy, and, in an interview for British television a year before his death, said: “I should’ve been a gardener.”

From New York Times

He painted a familiar picture of a teen and preteen pharmacopoeia.

From The New Yorker

Related Words

• fund
• goods
• inventory
• reserve
• stockpile
• store
• supply