Sunday, 18 October 2026

Is 'apothecary' English, or is it actually Greek?

'Apothecary' is a word borrowed from Greek 'apothēkē 1'. The word entered the English language some time around the 14th century.


apothecary [noun] [14th century]
  • one who prepares and sells drugs or compounds for medicinal purposes
  • pharmacy

Etymology: Middle English 'apothecarie' from Medieval Latin 'apothecarius' from Late Latin, shopkeeper, from Latin 'apotheca' storehouse, from Greek 'apothēkē' from 'apotithenai' to put away, from 'apo-' + 'tithenai' to put.

Topics: Society:Culture.

Origin: From Latin to English.

note: Evolution: Evolved from Latin apotheca into Late Latin apothecarius (storekeeper) then into Old French as apotecaire. English Entry: Entered Middle English in the 14th century as apotecarie initially meaning a storekeeper or pharmacist who compounded and stored non-perishable goods like herbs and medicines. The spelling was later updated around 1600 to reflect its classical roots.
See 'apothecary' on the Loan Words Map

See more loan words from Greek.
See more loan words from 1300s.


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