Standard Lemma guide

medicament

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˈmɛdɪkəmənt/
  • /məˈdɪkəmənt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɪkəmənt

1

noun

Meaning 1

A medicine, medication or drug.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • 1589, George Puttenham, The Arte of English Poesie, Book I, Chapter 23, “The forme of Poeticall lamentations,” Therefore of death and burials, of th’aduersities by warres, and of true loue lost or ill bestowed, are th’onely sorrowes that the noble Poets sought by their arte to remoue or appease, not with any medicament of a contrary temper, as the Galenistes vse to cure [contraria contrarijs] but as the Paracelsians, who cure [similia similibus] making one dolour to expell another, and in this case, one short sorrowing the remedie of a long and grieuous sorrow.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

(medicine) something that treats or prevents or alleviates the symptoms of disease

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: medicine, medication, medicinal drug

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: drug

Narrower terms: acyclovir, Zovirax, alendronate, Fosamax, allopurinol, Zyloprim, amrinone, Inocor, analgesic, anodyne, painkiller, pain pill, angiogenesis inhibitor, antiarrhythmic, antiarrhythmic drug, antiarrhythmic medication, antibacterial, antibacterial drug, bactericide, anticholinergic, anticholinergic drug, anticholinesterase, anticoagulant, anticoagulant medication, decoagulant, anticonvulsant, anticonvulsant drug, antiepileptic, antiepileptic drug, antidepressant, antidepressant drug, antidiabetic, antidiabetic drug, antidiarrheal, antidiarrheal drug, antidiuretic, antidiuretic drug, antiemetic, antiemetic drug, antihistamine, antihypertensive, antihypertensive drug, anti-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory drug, antiprotozoal, antiprotozoal drug, antipyretic, febrifuge, antiseptic, antispasmodic, spasmolytic, antispasmodic agent, antitussive, antiviral, antiviral agent, antiviral drug, APC, astringent, astringent drug, styptic, atomic cocktail, azathioprine, Imuran, blocker, blocking agent, bronchodilator, calcium blocker, calcium-channel blocker, carminative, clofibrate, Atromid-S, clopidogrel bisulfate, Plavix, cold medicine, counterirritant, cytotoxic drug, decongestant, demulcent, diaphoretic, disulfiram, Antabuse, dose, dosage, Drixoral, drug cocktail, highly active antiretroviral therapy, HAART, expectorant, expectorator, fixed-combination drug, gemfibrozil, Lopid, hematinic, haematinic, herbal medicine, histamine blocker, immunosuppressant, immunosuppressor, immunosuppressive drug, immunosuppressive, immune suppressant drug, inhalant, inhalation, isoproterenol, Isuprel, isosorbide, Isordil, lipid-lowering medicine, lipid-lowering medication, statin drug, statin, methacholine, Mecholyl, nux vomica, over-the-counter drug, over-the-counter medicine, oxytocic, oxytocic drug, paregoric, camphorated tincture of opium, patent medicine, penicillamine, Cuprimine, pentylenetetrazol, pentamethylenetetrazol, Metrazol, pharmaceutical, pharmaceutic, placebo, powder, prescription drug, prescription, prescription medicine, ethical drug, probenecid, purgative, cathartic, physic, aperient, remedy, curative, cure, therapeutic, rubefacient, sedative, sedative drug, depressant, downer, soothing syrup, specific, sucralfate, Carafate, sudorific, sudatory, suppository, tincture, tonic, restorative, tyrosine kinase inhibitor, vermicide, vermifuge, anthelmintic, anthelminthic, helminthic

History

Etymology

From Middle English medicament, either from Middle French médicament or its etymon, Latin medicāmentum.