Word
medicinal
Phoneticsmedic·i·nal
US/məˈdɪsənəɫ/
UK/mˈɛdɪsˌɪnəl/
Definitions
01healing or therapeutic
B2 · Upper Intermediate Medicine
adj. having the power to treat an illness or make you feel better.
adj. possessing therapeutic properties or used in the treatment of disease and relief of pain.
“Many people believe that ginger has medicinal properties that help with a cold.”
“The indigenous community has long used the bark of this tree for its medicinal qualities, particularly in treating chronic inflammation and digestive issues.”
Pitfall
He is a medicinal student.
He is a medical student.
Use 'medical' for things related to the profession or study of medicine, and 'medicinal' for substances that heal.
Synonyms
02a healing plant
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Science Technical
n. a plant that people use to make medicine.
n. any botanical specimen or plant species cultivated or harvested for its therapeutic chemical constituents.
“The garden was full of various medicinals used in traditional healing.”
“The researcher spent years documenting the various medicinals found deep within the rainforest, many of which were unknown to Western pharmacology.”
Real-World Examples
“These Europeans did not similarly preserve the knowledge held by Caribbean communities about the plant’s medicinal uses.” “Common uses include lotions, medicinal creams, sauces, ice cream, mayonnaise and paints.” Etymology
From Latin medicīnālis. By surface analysis, medicine + -al.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/medicinal