Word study: pharmaceutical and pharmacy

Words are the most powerful things in the universe. Though languages change over time, the history that is revealed in word studies can be edifying and fascinating.

Old books—the best source of historical information

I first ran into this information in a botany book. Then I dug out my old Latin and Greek books from college to confirm the linguistics. Then I searched through the Bible and concordances. They all confirm what I found in the botany book. Who knew.

• Our word “pharmaceutical” derives from the Greek, φαρμακεία, φάρμακον [pharmakeia /far·mak·i·ah/]. It means poison.
• Our word “pharmacy” also derives from the Greek,  φαρμακείο, φαρμακευτική [pharmakön /far·ma·kon/] It means to practice sorcery or witchcraft.

Historically and currently, sorcery and witchcraft include such practices as:

• exorcism
• enchantment
• necromancy
• divination
• clairvoyance
• astrology
• fortune telling
• charming
• superstition

Amazing and chilling. It’s been my sad observation that people who pursue external fixes for internal problems mostly get sicker and sicker over time. See the post, Iatrogenesis, for more about that phenomenon.

Anna Moss

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