officinal
Definition
- Adjective:
- Pharmaceutical: "officinal" refers to a substance, especially a plant or drug, that is recognized as having medicinal properties and is kept in stock by apothecaries or pharmacies.
- Pharmacopoeial: It describes a medicine or ingredient that is officially listed in a pharmacopoeia (an authoritative book of medicinal standards).
Usage Examples
- (The plant is recognized as having medicinal use.)
- (Medicines officially listed in the pharmacopoeia must be properly kept.)
Advanced Usage
"officinal plant": a plant used in official medicine, often cultivated for its therapeutic properties.
- The garden contains several officinal plants, such as chamomile and lavender. (The garden grows herbs with recognized medicinal value.)
"officinal preparation": a medicine made according to an official formula.
- The officinal preparation of tincture of iodine follows strict guidelines. (The medicine is prepared as per the pharmacopoeia.)
Variants and Related Words
- Officinalis (Latin adjective, often used in botanical names): meaning "of the shop" or "used in medicine".
- Salvia officinalis is the scientific name for common sage, a well-known officinal herb. (Sage is a plant with medicinal use.)
Synonyms
- Medicinal: having healing properties.
- Pharmacopoeial: officially recognized in a pharmacopoeia.
Related Idioms
- (No common idioms exist for "officinal" as it is a technical term.)