medical definition

English medical definition

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French medical, from Medieval Latin medicālis, from Latin medicus. Replaced Old English lǣċe (“doctor (physician)”), which is cognate with Icelandic læknir (“doctor”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɛdɪkl̩/
• Hyphenation: med‧i‧cal

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adjective

medical (comparative more medical, superlative most medical)

1. Of or pertaining to the practice of medicine.

   medical doctor; medical student

   Do you have any medical experience?

   • 2013 June 21, Karen McVeigh, “US rules human genes can't be patented”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 2, page 10:

     The US supreme court has ruled unanimously that natural human genes cannot be patented, a decision that scientists and civil rights campaigners said removed a major barrier to patient care and medical innovation.

2. Intended to have a therapeutic effect; medicinal.

   medical marijuana; medical cannabis; medical treatment

3. Requiring medical treatment.

   A costly medical condition can bankrupt you if it doesn't kill you first.

4. Pertaining to the state of one's health.

   medical examinaton; medical exemption; medical history; medical record; medical diagnosis

5. (UK) Pertaining to or requiring treatment by other than surgical means.

   medical ward

Synonyms

• (medicinal): curative, therapeutic

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

medical (plural medicals)

1. (informal) A medical examination.

   You'll have to get a medical before you apply for that job.

   • 2014, Jamie Jackson, "Ángel di María says Manchester United were the ‘only club’ after Real", The Guardian, 26 August 2014:

     After completing a medical and the requisite paperwork on Tuesday to seal the deal, Di María said: “I am absolutely delighted to be joining Manchester United. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in Spain and there were a lot of clubs interested in me, but United is the only club that I would have left Real Madrid for.

   • 2021 November 17, “Network News: Age-related medical requirements”, in RAIL, number 944, page 9:

     All UK train drivers must undergo a medical every three years up to the age of 54, and annually from then on.

Related terms

• medicate
• medicine

Anagrams

• camelid, claimed, decimal, declaim, maliced

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Interlingua medical definition

Adjective

medical (not comparable)

1. medical (pertaining to medicine, health care, etc.)

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Middle French medical definition

Etymology

From Latin medicālis, from medius (“middle”).

Adjective

medical m

1. Of or relating to the middle finger.

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Romanian medical definition

Etymology

From French médical.

Adjective

medical m or n (feminine singular medicală, masculine plural medicali, feminine and neuter plural medicale)

1. medical

Declension