polypharmaceuticaladj.n.
/ˌpɒlɪfɑːməˈs(j)uːtᵻkl/, U.S. /ˈˌpɑliˌfɑrməˈsudək(ə)l/ Medicine. Chiefly depreciative.
A. adj.
Of a medicinal preparation: containing several drugs. Also: of or relating to polypharmacy.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > medical treatment > treatment by medicine or drug > [adjective] > using many drugs
polypharmaceutical1852
polypharmacal1927
polydrug1971
1852 De Bow's Rev. Dec. 601 The induction we have been pursuing has led us to a polypharmaceutical compound, in the form of vapor, containing all the elements of dunder and sugar.
1974 M. C. Gerald Pharmacol. i. 6 Paracelsus' laudanum..contained opium, gold, and pearls. (Note that even Paracelsus retained vestiges of polypharmaceutical formulation.)
1992 N.Y. Times (Nexis) 6 Dec. 50/2 All psychiatric drugs are..likely to cause side effects..that need to be counteracted with still more drugs in a polypharmaceutical ‘cocktail’.
B. n.
A medicinal preparation containing several drugs.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > [noun] > a medicine or medicament > medicine of mixed ingredients
confectiona1398
mixtiona1398
diatessaronc1400
ingredience1526
mixture1562
diapente1610
ingrediency1639
tetrapharmacon1728
polypharmaceutical1961
1961 Lancet 16 Sept. 658/2 The industry, say some doctors, makes excessive profits;..indulges in excessive and irrelevant promotion of its products;..goes in for dubious polypharmaceuticals.
1997 R. Porter Greatest Benefit to Mankind x. 269 Significant also was the publication in 1745 of William Heberden's Antitheriaka.., denying that these polypharmaceuticals had antidotal properties against poisons, venoms, or other harmful substances.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.1852