medicinal

adjective

me·​dic·​i·​nal

mə-ˈdis-nəl,

-ˈdi-sᵊn-əl 

 in Shakespeare & Milton  ˌme-di-ˈsī-nᵊl,

 &  ˈmed-sə-nəl

1

: tending or used to cure disease or relieve pain

a medicinal compound

the plant's medicinal properties

used for medicinal purposes

2

: salutary

medicinal noun

medicinally

mə-ˈdis-nə-lē 

-ˈdi-sᵊn-ə-lē;

adverb

Synonyms

• cure
• drug
• medicament
• medication
• medicine
• pharmaceutical
• physic
• remedy
• specific

Examples of medicinal in a Sentence

This drug is to be used only for medicinal purposes.

even in Roman times the hot mineral springs of Bath, England, were believed to possess medicinal properties

Recent Examples on the Web

McDonnell started his research by reading the Ebers Papyrus, an Egyptian text from around 1550 B.C.E. that contains hundreds of medicinal recipes promising cures and treatments for everything from male baldness to crocodile bites. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 June 2024

Ghee is an excellent anupama, or carrier for transporting medicinal herbs which can penetrate deep into the tissues. —Alessandra Signorelli, Vogue, 20 June 2024

Would you be tempted to conclude that the placebo given to the group with better outcomes must have medicinal properties? —Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 25 May 2024

For the first time, scientists observed a primate in the wild treating a wound with a plant that has medicinal properties. —Sofia Quaglia, New York Times, 20 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing medicinal

• medicinal leech

Kids Definition

medicinal

adjective

me·​dic·​i·​nal mə-ˈdis-nəl 

-ᵊn-əl

: tending or used to cure disease or relieve pain

medicinally

-ē

adverb

Medical Definition

medicinal

1 of 2 adjective

me·​dic·​i·​nal mə-ˈdis-nəl, -ᵊn-əl 

: of, relating to, or being medicine : tending or used to cure disease or relieve pain

medicinally

-ē 

adverb

medicinal

2 of 2 noun

: a medicinal substance : medicine