ENGLISH
REFERENCE

dispensary

n. countable
C1 Advanced US //ˈdɪspɛnˌsɛɹi// UK //dɪspˈɛnsəɹi// dis·pen·sary Archaic

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.


SIMPLE

The nurse went to the dispensary to collect the patient's medicine.

CONTEXTUAL

After the doctor wrote the prescription, I had to wait at the hospital dispensary for twenty minutes.

COMPLEX

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.

Usage

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.

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