MATERIA MEDICA

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does materia medica mean? 

• MATERIA MEDICA (noun)
  The noun MATERIA MEDICA has 1 sense:

1. the science or study of drugs: their preparation and properties and uses and effects

  Familiarity information: MATERIA MEDICA used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MATERIA MEDICA (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The science or study of drugs: their preparation and properties and uses and effects

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

materia medica; pharmacological medicine; pharmacology

Hypernyms ("materia medica" is a kind of...):

medical specialty; medicine (the branches of medical science that deal with nonsurgical techniques)

Domain member category:

tincture ((pharmacology) a medicine consisting of an extract in an alcohol solution)

formulary; pharmacopeia ((pharmacology) a book containing a compilation of pharmaceutical products with their formulas and methods of preparation)

decoction ((pharmacology) the extraction of water-soluble drug substances by boiling)

adjuvant (enhancing the action of a medical treatment)

percutaneous; transcutaneous; transdermal; transdermic (through the unbroken skin; refers to medications applied directly to the skin (creams or ointments) or in time-release forms (skin patches))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "materia medica"):

pharmacokinetics (the study of the action of drugs in the body: method and rate of excretion; duration of effect; etc.)

posology (the pharmacological determination of appropriate doses of drugs and medicines)

psychopharmacology (the study of drugs that affect the mind)

toxicology (the branch of pharmacology that deals with the nature and effects and treatments of poisons)