Forms: 4–6 apotecary, -rie, 4–7 apothecarie, 5 apotiquare, -ry, apotecarye, -tycary, appotecary, appoticary, 6 -thecarie, apothicarie, -ticary, 4– apothecary. Aphet. 4–5 potecary(e, -carie, 5 -kary, 5–6 potycary(e, 6 -ticary, -rie, 7 pottecary, -icary, 8 pothecary. [a. Fr. apotecaire, apoticaire (13th c. in Littré):—late L. apothēcārius store-keeper, f. apothēca: see APOTHEC and -ARY.]
† 1. orig. One who kept a store or shop of nonperishable commodities, spices, drugs, comfits, preserves, etc.
(This passed at an early period into the next: in 1617 the Apothecaries’ Company of London was separated from the Grocers’.)
2. spec. The earlier name for: One who prepared and sold drugs for medicinal purposes—the business now (since about 1800) conducted by a druggist or pharmaceutical chemist. From about 1700 apothecaries gradually took a place as general medical practitioners, and the modern apothecary holds this status legally, by examination and licence of the Apothecaries’ Company; but in popular usage the term is archaic.
Apothecaries’ Weight: that by which drugs are compounded.
1366. Maundev., v. 51. The marchauntis and the apotecaries countrefeten it [bawme].
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 425. Ful redy hadde he hise apothecaries [v.r. -tecaryis, -caries, appot-] To send him drogges.
1466. Mann. & Househ. Exp., 369. I toke of … the potekary, a lytel barel of water fore the sekenes.
1474. Caxton, Chesse, 100. The pawn … signefyeth the physicien, spicer, apotiquare.
1535. Coverdale, Song Sol. iii. 6. All maner spyces of the Apotecary.
1578. T. N., trans. Conq. W. India, 199. Manie Poticaries, who doe bring into the market, oyntments, sirops, waters, and other drugges.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., V. iii. 119. O, true Appothecary: Thy drugs are quicke.
1635. N. Carpenter, Geogr. Del., II. iii. 53. Our Physicians and Apothecaries … owe most of the medicinable drugges to India.
1709. Pope, Ess. Crit., 108. Modern ’Pothecaries, taught the art By Doctor’s bills to play the Doctor’s part.
1765. Brownrigg, in Phil. Trans., LV. 229. The Pouhon water … was found to weigh twenty ounces, seven drachms, and fourteen grains, apothecaries weight.
1812. Combe (Dr. Syntax), Picturesque, VIII. 129. ’Tis known that I took full enough, Of this Apothecary’s stuff.
† 3. [cf. OFr. apotecarie, apotiquerie, and late L. apothēcāria, the wares or shop of a drug-seller.] Drugs collectively: hence a. A store of drugs; b. Medical treatment by drugs. Obs.
1567. Hollybush, Hom. Apoth., 4 b. Made in the Apothecarye.
1589. Hawkins’s 2nd Voy., in Arb., Garner, V. 131. They have for apothecary, herbs, trees, roots, and gums in great store.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., II. i. IV. iii. The ordinary is threefold … Diet or Living, Apothecary, Chirurgery.
4. attrib. quasi-adj.
1562. in Heath, Grocers’ Comp. (1869), 97. Poticarie wares such as shall be pure and perfyt good.
1601. Holland, Pliny (1634), II. 176. To set vp Apothecary shops.
1615. Latham, Falconry (1633), 79. She hath no phisicall medicines, nor Apothecary scowrings giuen her.
