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Officinal

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of⋅fic⋅i⋅nal

  [uh-fis-uh-nl]
Use Officinal in a Sentence
–adjective
1. kept in stock by apothecaries, as a drug. Compare magistral (def. 1).
2. recognized by a pharmacopoeia.
–noun
3. an officinal medicine.
Origin:
1710–20; < ML officīnālis of a store or workshop, equiv. to L officīn(a) workshop, presumably contr. of opificīna (opific-, s. of opifex artisan, equiv. to opi-, comb. form akin to opus work + -fic-, comb. form of facere to make, do 1 + -īna -ine 1 ; cf. office ) + -ālis -al 1

Related forms:
of⋅fic⋅i⋅nal⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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of·fic·i·nal   (ə-fĭs'ə-nəl, ô'fĭ-sī'nəl, ŏf'ĭ-)   
adj.  

  1. Readily available in pharmacies; not requiring special preparation.

  2. Recognized by a pharmacopoeia: an officinal herb.

n.  An officinal drug.

[French, from Medieval Latin officīnālis, of a storeroom or workshop, from Latin officīna, workshop, alteration of opificīna, from opifex, opific-, workman : opus, work; see op- in Indo-European roots + facere, to do; see dhē- in Indo-European roots.]
of·fic'i·nal·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

officinal 
"kept in stock by a druggist," c.1720, from Fr. officinal, from M.L. officinalis, lit. "of or belonging in an officina," a storeroom (of a monastery) for medicines and necessaries, from L. officina "workshop," contraction of *opificina, from opifex (gen. opificis) "worker, maker, doer" (from opus "work") + -fex, -ficis "one who does," from facere "do, perform" (see factitious).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: 1of·fi·ci·nal
Pronunciation: &-'fis-&n-&l, o-, ä-; "of-&-'sIn-&l, "äf-
Function:adjective
1 a : available without special preparation or compounding <officinal medicine> —compare MAGISTRAL b : OFFICIAL
2 of a plant : MEDICINAL <officinal herbs> <officinal rhubarb>

Main Entry: 2officinal
Function: noun
: an officinal drug, medicine, or plant
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

officinal of·fic·i·nal (ə-fĭs'ə-nəl, ŏf'ĭ-sī'nəl)
adj.

  1. Readily available in pharmacies; not requiring special preparation.

  2. Recognized by a pharmacopoeia.

n.
An official drug.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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