Physicks

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The practice or art of medicine and healing; treatments or remedies used to restore health; substances or procedures aimed at curing illness
2. The study or application of medical science; medicinal preparations or therapeutic techniques; any method or medicine used to treat disease or injury
3. The discipline concerned with diagnosing and treating disease; the use of drugs or physical methods to promote recovery; general approaches to healthcare and medical intervention

Etymology: "Physicks" is the plural of "physick," an older English word for the practice of medicine, and its meaning comes from the Greek "physikē," the study of nature. In medieval and early modern English, "physick" covered both the healing art and the medicines a physician prescribed, so the word's sense narrowed over time as "medicine" took over. The plural form "physicks" has the same sense as the singular, which is typical of older nouns that were used loosely. The singular "physick" is itself a shortened, older spelling of "physic," so the two forms share one history.

Synonyms: medicine, remedy, cure, treatment, medication

Antonyms: disease, illness, sickness