Edit page | Page history | Printable version

officinal

1. Used in a shop, or belonging to it.

2. (Science: pharmacology) kept in stock by apothecaries; said of such drugs and medicines as may be obtained without special preparation or compounding; not magistral.

This term is often interchanged with official, but in strict use officinal drugs are not necessarily official. See Official.

Origin: F, fr. L. Officina a workshop, contr.fr. Opificina, fr. Opifex a workman; opus work _ facere = to make or do.