apothecary
pronunciation
How to pronounce apothecary in British English:
UK [əˈpɒθəkəri]
How to pronounce apothecary in American English:
US [əˈpɑθəkeri]
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- Noun:
- a health professional trained in the art of preparing and dispensing drugs
Word Origin
- apothecary
- apothecary: [14] Originally, an apothecary was simply a shopkeeper – the word comes via Old French from late Latin apothēcārius, which was based on Greek apothékē ‘storehouse’ (source, via French, of boutique [18] and via Spanish of bodega [19]), a derivative of the verb apotithénai ‘put away’ (formed from the prefix apo- ‘away’ and the verb tithénai ‘put’ – source of thesis).By the time the word entered English it was reserved to shopkeepers who sold non-perishable groceries, such as spices – and herbal and other remedies. Gradually, apothecaries began to specialize more and more in drugs, so that in 1617 a formal separation took place between the Apothecaries’ Company of London and the Grocers’ Company. Apothecary remained the general term for a ‘druggist’ until about 1800, when chemist began to take over.=> bodega, boutique, thesis
- apothecary (n.)
- mid-14c., "shopkeeper, especially one who stores, compounds, and sells medicaments," from Old French apotecaire (13c., Modern French apothicaire), from Late Latin apothecarius "storekeeper," from Latin apotheca "storehouse," from Greek apotheke "barn, storehouse," literally "a place where things are put away," from apo- "away" (see apo-) + tithenai "to put, to place" (see theme). Same root produced French boutique and Spanish bodega. Cognate compounds produced Sanskrit apadha- "concealment," Old Persian apadana- "palace." Drugs and herbs being among the chief items of non-perishable goods, the meaning narrowed 17c. to "druggist" (Apothecaries' Company of London separated from the Grocers' in 1617). Apothecaries formerly were notorious for "the assumed gravity and affectation of knowledge generally put on by the gentlemen of this profession, who are commonly as superficial in their learning as they are pedantic in their language" [Francis Grose, "A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue," 1796]. Hence, Apothecary's Latin, barbarously mangled, also known as Dog Latin.
Example
- 1. At the apothecary shoppe don never wears a white coat .
- 2. He placed special orders at the apothecary shoppe : echinacea goldenseal chamomile teas .
- 3. Mr. brick had never used a broker-to him they were just as untrustworthy as doctors-so he went to the apothecary shoppe for help .
- 4. Why not create an apothecary look with glass jars filled with an assortment of goodies ?
- 5. Lying down again with his eyes shut , he heard the apothecary say , out of the room and quite a long way off - or he dreamed it - that there was a want of vital power ( what was that , paul wondered ! )