from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Apothecary \A*poth"e*ca*ry\, n.; pl. {Apothecaries}. [OE.
apotecarie, fr. LL. apothecarius, fr. L. apotheca storehouse,
Gr. apo, fr. ? to put away; ? from + ? to put: cf. F.
apothicaire, OF. apotecaire. See {Thesis}.]
1. One who prepares and sells drugs or compounds for
medicinal purposes; a druggist; a pharmacist.
[1913 Webster]
Note: In England an apothecary is one of a privileged class
of practitioners, licensed to prescribe medicine -- a
kind of sub-physician. The surgeon apothecary is the
ordinary family medical attendant. One who sells drugs
and makes up prescriptions is now commonly called in
England a druggist or a pharmaceutical chemist.
[1913 Webster]
2. A drugstore; a store where medicines are sold.
[PJC]
{Apothecaries' weight}, the system of weights by which
medical prescriptions were formerly compounded. The pound
and ounce are the same as in Troy weight; they differ only
in the manner of subdivision. The ounce is divided into 8
drams, 24 scruples, 480 grains. See {Troy weight}.
[1913 Webster]