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Webster 1913 Edition
Apothecary
A-poth′e-ca-ry
,Noun.
pl.
Apothecaries
. [OE.
apotecarie
, fr. LL. apothecarius
, fr. L. apotheca
storehouse, Gr. απο
, fr. [GREEK] to put away; [GREEK] from + [GREEK] to put: cf. F. apothicaire
, OF. apotecaire
. See Thesis
.] 1.
One who prepares and sells drugs or compounds for medicinal purposes; a druggist; a pharmacist.
☞ In England an apothecary is one of a privileged class of practitioners, licensed to prescribe medicine – a kind of sub-physician. The surgeon apothecary is the ordinary family medical attendant. One who sells drugs and makes up prescriptions is now commonly called in England a druggist or a pharmaceutical chemist.
Apothecaries’ weight
, the system of weights by which medical prescriptions were formerly compounded. The pound and ounce are the same as in Troy weight; they differ only in the manner of subdivision. The ounce is divided into 8 drams, 24 scruples, 480 grains. See
Troy weight
.Webster 1828 Edition
Apothecary
APOTH'ECARY
,Noun.
1.
One who practices pharmacy; one who prepares drugs for medicinal uses, and keeps them for sale. In England, apothecaries are obliged to prepare medicines according to the formulas prescribed by the college of physicians, and are liable to have their shops visited by the censors of the college, who have power to destroy medicines which are not good.2.
In the middle ages, an apothecary was the keeper of any shop or warehouse; and an officer appointed to take charge of a magazine.