drug

Definition

A substance used to treat an illness, relieve a symptom, or modify a chemical process in the body for a specific purpose.

Etymology

From Middle English drogge (“medicine”), from Middle French drogue, drocque (“tincture, pharmaceutical product”) (c. 1462), from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German droge, as in droge vate (“dry vats, dry barrels”), mistaking droge for the contents, which were usually dried herbs, plants or wares. Droge comes from Middle Dutch drōghe (“dry”), from Old Dutch drōgi (“dry”), from Proto-Germanic *draugiz (“dry, hard”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰrewgʰ- (“to strengthen; become hard or solid”), from *dʰer- (“to hold, hold fast, support”). Cognate with English dry, Dutch droog (“dry”), German trocken (“dry”).

Example Sentences

• "Aspirin is a drug that reduces pain, acts against inflammation and lowers body temperature."
• "The revenues from both brand-name drugs and generic drugs have increased."
• "whence merchants bring their spicy drugs"