n. [ OE. fermacie, OF. farmacie, pharmacie, F. pharmacie, Gr. farmakei`a, fr. farmakey`ein to administer or use medicines, fr. fa`rmakon medicine. ] 1. The art or practice of preparing and preserving drugs, and of compounding and dispensing medicines according to prescriptions of physicians; the occupation of an apothecary or a pharmaceutical chemist. [ 1913 Webster ]
2. A place where medicines are compounded; a drug store; an apothecary's shop. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ Poly- + Gr. &unr_; the using of medicine, fr. &unr_; medicine: cf. F. polypharmacie. ] (Med.) (a) The act or practice of prescribing too many medicines. (b) A prescription made up of many medicines or ingredients. Dunglison. [ 1913 Webster ]