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# apothecary

noun (an apothecary, apothecaries)

«apothecary» in the English dictionary: everyday and Early Modern English — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (old) An apothecary was a person who made and sold medicines, like a chemist or pharmacist today. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/apothecary/#m1)
2. (old) An apothecary also gave simple medical advice and treatment. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/apothecary/#m2)

### In the lessons

In history lessons about the Middle Ages, Tudor and Victorian times, the apothecary mixed herbs, powders and potions in a shop with jars. In stories, the apothecary sells cures and sometimes poisons. Today his job is done by a pharmacist (UK: chemist; US: drugstore).

### Examples

- The apothecary mixed a potion of herbs. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/apothecary/#x1)
- In Tudor times you went to the apothecary for medicine. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/apothecary/#x2)
- Rows of jars lined the apothecary's shop. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/apothecary/#x3)
- The apothecary weighed the powder carefully. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/apothecary/#x4)
- Today a pharmacist does the job of an apothecary. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/apothecary/#x5)
- The story's villain bought poison from an apothecary. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/apothecary/#x6)

### Note

Countable: apothecaries (y → ies). Pronounced a-POTH-e-ka-ree. Old-fashioned word.

## Early Modern English

### Meaning

A person who made and sold medicines. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/A/apothecary/#m1)

### Then and now

No longer common; today we say pharmacist or chemist.

### Examples

- "Whose is it, and where did you get it?" asked the apothecary. (Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/A/apothecary/#x1)
- "Heaven preserve us!" cried the apothecary, "you are out of your mind. (Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/A/apothecary/#x2)
- ‘Who is it, and how did you get it?’ asked the apothecary. (The Yellow Fairy Book) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/A/apothecary/#x3)

### Note

Today: pharmacist; chemist.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «apothecary» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/apothecary/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«apothecary» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/apothecary.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «apothecary» in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/A/apothecary/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«apothecary» in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/emode/w/apothecary.html) on Mova free.