materia medica
[ muh-teer-ee-uh med-i-kuh ]
/ məˈtɪər i ə ˈmɛd ɪ kə /
noun
(used with a plural verb)
the remedial substances employed in medicine.
(used with a singular verb) Also called pharmacognosy.
the science dealing with the sources, physical characteristics, uses, and doses of drugs.
Origin of materia medica
1690–1700; < Medieval Latin: medical material
Words nearby materia medica
mater,
mater dolorosa,
mater turrita,
materfamilias,
materia alba,
materia medica,
material,
material cause,
material culture,
material equivalence,
material implication
Example sentences from the Web for materia medica
A copy of materia-medica and a Latin dictionary were the only guides to the beginner of a medical career in those days.
Watch Yourself Go By |Al. G. Field
British Dictionary definitions for materia medica
materia medica
/ (məˈtɪərɪə ˈmɛdɪkə) /
noun
the branch of medical science concerned with the study of drugs used in the treatment of disease: includes pharmacology, clinical pharmacology, and the history and physical and chemical properties of drugs
the drugs used in the treatment of disease
Word Origin for materia medica
C17: from Medieval Latin: medical matter
Medical definitions for materia medica
materia medica
[ mĕd′ĭ-kə ]
n.
The branch of medical science that deals with the origin, preparation, dosage, and administration of drugs.