n.; pl. Apothecaries. [ OE. apotecarie, fr. LL. apothecarius, fr. L. apotheca storehouse, Gr. apo, fr. &unr_; to put away; &unr_; from + &unr_; 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. [ 1913 Webster ] ☞ 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. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. A drugstore; a store where medicines are sold. [ PJC ]
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. [ 1913 Webster ]
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