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A.Word.A.Day--officinal

This week's theme: words that aren't what they appear to be.

officinal (uh-FIS-uh-nuhl) adjective

Medicinal.

noun

A stocked medicine (as opposed to one specially prepared).

[From Latin officina (storeroom or workshop), from opus (work) + facere (to make or to do).]

Originally, officinals were medicines prepared and kept in stock by the pharmacists. The opposite of officinal is magistral, a medicine prepared for the occasion according to a physician's prescription.

-Anu Garg (garg wordsmith.org)

"The company is planning to use the phrase to promote 'medicine, officinal drinks and nutrients for human use'." Li Qian; 'Three-alls' to be Trademarked by Japanese Firm; China Daily (Beijing); Aug 10, 2006.

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