drugstore

IPA/ˈdrʌɡstɔː(r)/
KK[drˈʌɡstˌɔr]IPA/ˈdrʌɡstɔːr/

drugstore — noun

  • drugstoresingular
  • drugstoresplural

1. a store that sells medicines, personal care products, and everyday goods such as

1.nounA2
Definition

a store that sells medicines, personal care products, and everyday goods such as snacks or household cleaning supplies

Example

Jabari stopped at the drugstore on his way home to buy a tube of toothpaste.

collocation: stop at a drugstore

The drugstore on First Street sells pain relievers, shampoo, and even sandwiches.

Common collocations
  • buy at a drugstore
  • go to the drugstore
  • the nearest drugstore
  • local drugstore
  • drugstore chain
Synonyms
  • pharmacy

    more focused on dispensing prescription medicines; a pharmacy may be a section inside a drugstore

  • chemist

    British English term; refers to the same type of shop but does not usually sell general goods like snacks

Usage Note

Primarily American English. In British English, 'chemist('s)' or 'pharmacy' is more common for a shop that sells medicines.

Common Mistakes

Can I buy a sandwich at the chemist's?' (in US context).
Can I buy a sandwich at the drugstore?
In the US, grocery or drugstore is the right word; 'chemist's' is British.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Drugstore, pharmacy, and chemist all refer to places where medicines are sold, but they differ in range and regional use. Drugstore (American English) is the broadest term — it sells medicines alongside cosmetics, snacks, household items, and sometimes even sandwiches. Pharmacy is more focused on the dispensing of prescription drugs; in the US, many drugstores contain a pharmacy counter, but 'pharmacy' by itself suggests a narrower product range. Chemist is the standard British term for a shop that sells medicines and basic toiletries (e.g., 'Boots the Chemist'), though it rarely sells snacks or general groceries the way an American drugstore does. Apothecary is a historical term for someone who prepared and sold medicines; it is now rarely used except in period contexts or as a brand name. For everyday American usage: 'I'm going to the drugstore for toothpaste and a snack' vs 'I'll pick up my prescription at the pharmacy counter.'

pharmacy ↗chemist ↗apothecary

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • the nearest drugstore
  • corner drugstore
  • local drugstore
  • drugstore chain
  • 24-hour drugstore

Prepositions

  • at a drugstore
  • to the drugstore
  • from the drugstore
  • in a drugstore
  • near the drugstore

Etymology

Old FrenchLatinEnglish

The word drugstore is formed by combining 'drug' (from Old French drogue, meaning a medicinal substance or ingredient) with 'store' (from Latin instaurare, meaning to set up or restore). The term first appeared in American English in the early 1800s, describing shops that originally focused on preparing and selling medicines but gradually expanded to include general merchandise such as cosmetics, toiletries, and food items.