officinal adjective & noun. [ǝ'fɪsɪn(ǝ)l] L17.
[medieval Latin officinalis, from officina (in medieval Latin a storeroom for medicines etc. in a monastery): see OFFICINA, -AL¹.]
A. noun. An officinal drug or medicine. Now rare or obsolete. L17.
b. adjective. Of a herb, drug, etc.: regularly sold or used as a medicine. Of a medicinal substance: kept as a standard preparation by apothecaries and pharmacists. Formerly also spec. = OFFICIAL adjective 4b. Cf. MAGISTRAL adjective 2a. E18.

■ officinally adverb in officinal use; according to the pharmacopoeia: E19.

[TahlilGaran] English Dictionary ▲