medication
n.-
1 medicine or drugs (n.) B1 Intermediate Medicinea pill, liquid, or other substance you take to treat an illness.
a medicinal substance used to treat or prevent disease; often used as a collective term for a patient's prescribed drugs.
ExampleThe doctor told her to take her medication every morning with breakfast.
ExampleThe patient reported a significant reduction in symptoms after the specialist adjusted the dosage of his blood pressure medication.
UsageCommonly used with the verbs 'take', 'prescribe', or 'administer'.
PitfallHe is taking a lot of medications.He is taking a lot of medication.While 'medications' is used for different types of drugs, 'medication' is often uncountable when referring to the general treatment a person receives.
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2 giving medicine (n.) C1 Advanced Technical Formal Medicinethe act of giving medicine to a patient.
the process or act of administering medicinal substances to a patient.
ExampleThe nurse is responsible for the medication of all patients in this ward.
ExampleStandard hospital protocols require two practitioners to verify the medication of high-risk intravenous fluids to ensure patient safety.
UsageOften appears in the phrase 'the medication of [someone]'.
From Middle English medicacioun, from Middle French médication and its etymon Latin medicātiō, from medicārī (“to heal, cure”), from medicus (“a physician, surgeon”), from medērī (“to heal”). Equivalent to medicate + -ion.