"apothecary" - Word of the Day from the OED

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apothecary

SECOND EDITION 1989

(pkr)  Forms: 4-6 apotecary, -rie, 4-7 apothecarie, 5 apotiquare, -ry, apotecarye, -tycary, appotecary, appoticary, 6 -thecarie, apothicarie, -ticary, 4- apothecary. Aphet. 4-5 potecary(e, -carie, 5 -kary, 5-6 potycary(e, 6 -ticary, -rie, 7 pottecary, -icary, 8 pothecary. [a. OFr. apotecaire, apoticaire (13th c. in Littré):late L. apothcrius store-keeper, f. apothca: see APOTHEC and -ARY.] 

    1. orig. One who kept a store or shop of non-perishable commodities, spices, drugs, comfits, preserves, etc.
  (This passed at an early period into the next: in 1617 the Apothecaries' Company of London was separated from the Grocers'.)

    2. spec. The earlier name for: One who prepared and sold drugs for medicinal purposesthe business now (since about 1800) conducted by a druggist or pharmaceutical chemist. From about 1700 apothecaries gradually took a place as general medical practitioners, and the modern apothecary holds this status legally, by examination and licence of the Apothecaries' Company; but in popular usage the term is archaic.
  Apothecaries' Weight: that by which drugs are compounded.

1366 MANDEVILLE v. 51 The marchauntis and the apotecaries countrefeten it [bawme]. c1386 CHAUCER Prol. 425 Ful redy hadde he hise apothecaries [v.r. -tecaryis, -caries, appot-] To send him drogges. 1466 Mann. & Househ. Exp. 369, I toke of..the potekary, a lytel barel of water fore the sekenes. 1474 CAXTON Chesse 100 The pawn..signefyeth the physicien, spicer, apotiquare. 1535 COVERDALE Song Sol. iii. 6 All maner spyces of the Apotecary. 1578 T. N. tr. Conq. W. Ind. 199 Manie Poticaries, who doe bring into the market, oyntments, sirops, waters, and other drugges. 1592 SHAKES. Rom. & Jul. V. iii. 119 O, true Appothecary: Thy drugs are quicke. 1635 N. CARPENTER Geog. Delin. II. iii. 53 Our Physicians and Apothecaries..owe most of the medicinable drugges to India. 1709 POPE Ess. Crit. 108 Modern 'Pothecaries, taught the art By Doctor's bills to play the Doctor's part. 1765 BROWNRIGG in Phil. Trans. LV. 229 The Pouhon water..was found to weigh twenty ounces, seven drachms, and fourteen grains, apothecaries weight. 1812 COMBE (Dr. Syntax) Picturesque VIII. 129 'Tis known that I took full enough, Of this Apothecary's stuff.

    3. [cf. OFr. apotecarie, apotiquerie, and late L. apothcria, the wares or shop of a drug-seller.] Drugs collectively: hence    a. A store of drugs;    b. Medical treatment by drugs. Obs.

1561 HOLLYBUSH Hom. Apoth. 4b, Made in the Apothecarye. 1589 Hawkins's 2nd Voy. in Arber Eng. Garner V. 131 They have for apothecary, herbs, trees, roots, and gums in great store. 1621 BURTON Anat. Mel. II. i. IV. iii, The ordinary is threefold..Diet or Living, Apothecary, Chirurgery.

    4. attrib. quasi-adj.

1562 in Heath Grocers' Comp. (1869) 97 Poticarie wares such as shall be pure and perfyt good. 1601 HOLLAND Pliny (1634) II. 176 To set vp Apothecary shops. 1615 LATHAM Falconry (1633) 79 She hath no phisicall medicines, nor Apothecary scowrings giuen her.

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