medicine

Meanings

Noun

• A substance which specifically promotes healing when ingested or consumed in some way.
• A treatment or cure.
• The study of the cause, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of disease or illness.
• The profession of physicians, surgeons and related specialisms; those who practice medicine.
• Ritual magic used, as by a medicine man, to promote a desired outcome in healing, hunting, warfare etc.
• Among the Native Americans, any object supposed to give control over natural or magical forces, to act as a protective charm, or to cause healing.
• Black magic, superstition.
• A philter or love potion.
• A physician.
• Recreational drugs, especially alcoholic drinks.

Verb

• To treat with medicine.

Related

Similar words

• drug, prescription, pharmaceutical, elixir
• regimen, course, program, prescription

Origin

• From Middle English medicin, borrowed from Middle French medicine, from Old French medecine, from Latin medicīna, feminine of medicīnus, from medicus.
• The extended sense of "Indigenous magic" is a or mide (or cognates in related languages) when used in compounds such as Grand Medicine Society, medicine lodge, medicine dance, medicine bag, medicine wheel, medicine man, Medicine Line, and bad medicine or place names such as Medicine Hat, Medicine Creek, etc.