officinal Meaning, Definition & Usage

Of*fic"i*nal adjective

Etymology

F., fr. L. officina a workshop, contr.fr. opificina, fr. opifex a workman; opus work + facere to make or do.

Definitions

1. Used in a shop, or belonging to it. Obs. or R. Johnson.
2. (Pharm.) Kept in stock by apothecaries; -- said of such drugs and medicines as may be obtained without special preparation or compounding; not magistral. ✍ This term is often interchanged with official, but in strict use officinal drugs are not necessarily official. See Official, a., 3.