dispensary
n.a place where medicine is prepared and given out to people. You often find these in hospitals, clinics, or specialized shops.
n.a room or facility where medicines and medical supplies are prepared and distributed. Often refers to a specific department within a hospital or a licensed retail outlet for controlled substances.
“The nurse went to the dispensary to collect the patient's medicine.”
“After the doctor wrote the prescription, I had to wait at the hospital dispensary for twenty minutes.”
“Modern healthcare facilities often automate the dispensary process to reduce human error and ensure that high-potency medications are tracked with absolute precision from storage to patient.”
Commonly used in British English to refer to the pharmacy section of a clinic; in North American English, it increasingly refers to legal cannabis outlets.
“ALotOfPerople/iStock via Getty Images On a Thursday evening in Fort Collins, Colorado, community members gathered around tables to discuss whether the city should allow marijuana dispensaries within city limits.”
“Medical cannabis was legalised in Thailand in 2022 and dispensaries have become common in Thai cities.”