Pharmacopoeia
/ˌfɑːrməˈkoʊpiə/noun
An official book or list of medicinal drugs and their standards.
Did you know?Pharmacopoeia is built from Greek pharmakon, a word that could mean medicine, poison, or magic potion, which is why ancient remedies always sat one step away from sorcery.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
pharmakon
“a drug, medicine, poison, or magical potion”
Ancient Greek
Greek
-poiein
“to make or create”
Late Greek
Greek
pharmakopoiia
“the making or compounding of drugs”
16th Century
Latin
pharmacopoeia
“a treatise or handbook of medicinal preparations”
Modern English
English
pharmacopoeia
“an official publication listing medicinal drugs and standards”