pharmacology

noun
phar·​ma·​col·​o·​gy | \ ˌfär-mə-ˈkä-lə-jē How to pronounce pharmacology (audio) \

Definition of pharmacology

1 : the science of drugs including their origin, composition, pharmacokinetics, therapeutic use, and toxicology
2 : the properties and reactions of drugs especially with relation to their therapeutic value

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Other Words from pharmacology

pharmacological \ ˌfär-​mə-​kə-​ˈlä-​ji-​kəl How to pronounce pharmacological (audio) \ or less commonly pharmacologic \ ˌfär-​mə-​kə-​ˈlä-​jik How to pronounce pharmacologic (audio) \ adjective
pharmacologically \ ˌfär-​mə-​kə-​ˈlä-​ji-​k(ə-​)lē How to pronounce pharmacologically (audio) \ adverb
pharmacologist \ ˌfär-​mə-​ˈkä-​lə-​jist How to pronounce pharmacologist (audio) \ noun

Examples of pharmacology in a Sentence

We don't have a complete understanding of the new drug's pharmacology yet.

Recent Examples on the Web

At first the health minister, Agnès Buzyn, seemed to accept the case that patients who pop sugar pills might cut down on antibiotics and other pharmacology, which the French notoriously overconsume. The Economist, "French authorities dilute homeopaths’ profits," 18 July 2019 In 2004, Tarek Mehanna, a twenty-two-year-old Egyptian-American with a Ph.D. in pharmacology, spent two weeks in Yemen. Jenna Krajeski, The New Yorker, "A Victim of Terrorism Faces Deportation for Helping Terrorists," 11 June 2019 While there are some medications that can treat manic, hypomanic, and depressive episodes, others will only treat certain phases, Jamie Alan, Ph.D., an assistant professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University, tells SELF. Korin Miller, SELF, "5 Bipolar Disorder Treatments You Should Know About," 30 Nov. 2018 David Hosack’s garden may have been short-lived, but in our parks, gardens, medical practices and pharmacology, his efforts continue to bear fruit. Marta Mcdowell, New York Times, "Deep Below Rockefeller Center Lies a Legendary Botanical Garden," 25 June 2018 Honored: The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, president-elect Backes is a professor of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics and associate dean for research at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine. NOLA.com, "33 Greater New Orleans business people on the move," 23 Apr. 2018 In the mid-1950s, the University of Lund in Sweden rejected Arvid Carlsson’s application for promotion from his research job to associate professor of pharmacology. WSJ, "Arvid Carlsson, Snubbed at University in Sweden, Found a Path to Nobel Prize in Medicine," 13 July 2018 JoAnn Trejo is the university’s associate dean for health sciences faculty affairs and a professor of pharmacology. Bradley J. Fikes, sandiegouniontribune.com, "San Diego science reaches top tier in new global survey," 7 June 2018 His father, a pediatric oncologist, is the executive director of the Duke Cancer Institute, and is a professor of pharmacology and cancer biology at Duke’s medical school. New York Times, "Amanda Conklin, Benjamin Kastan," 27 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pharmacology.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of pharmacology

1704, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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More Definitions for pharmacology

pharmacology

noun

English Language Learners Definition of pharmacology

technical
: the scientific study of drugs and how they are used in medicine
: a drug's qualities and effects

pharmacology

noun
phar·​ma·​col·​o·​gy | \ ˌfär-mə-ˈkäl-ə-jē How to pronounce pharmacology (audio) \
plural pharmacologies

Medical Definition of pharmacology

1 : the science of drugs including their origin, composition, pharmacokinetics, therapeutic use, and toxicology
2 : the properties and reactions of drugs especially with relation to their therapeutic value

Other Words from pharmacology

pharmacological \ -​kə-​ˈläj-​i-​kəl How to pronounce pharmacological (audio) \ also pharmacologic \ -​ik How to pronounce pharmacologic (audio) \ adjective
pharmacologically \ -​i-​k(ə-​)lē How to pronounce pharmacologically (audio) \ adverb

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