pharmacological
UK[ˌfɑːməkəˈlɒdʒɪkəl]US[ˌfɑːrməkəˈlɑːdʒɪkəl]
adj
relating to pharmacology or the study of drugs and their effects on living organisms.
adj
concerning the properties and reactions of drugs, especially with regard to their therapeutic value.
Morpheme Breakdown
pharmaco
log
ical
pharmaco
drug, medicine
log
study, discourse
ical
adjective suffix
Etymology
the term 'pharmacological' is built upon the greek root 'pharmakon', which referred to a drug, remedy, or poison. this was combined with '-logia', a suffix denoting a branch of study or discourse. the word entered english via modern latin 'pharmacologia', the science of drugs. the addition of the adjectival suffix '-ical' transforms the noun into an adjective, specifically describing anything pertaining to the scientific study of the origins, nature, properties, and actions of drugs.
Analysis
Structure: pharmaco (drug, medicine) + log (study, discourse) + ical (adjective suffix)
pharmaco originates from greek 'pharmakon', meaning drug or medicine. log derives from greek 'logos', meaning word, reason, or study. ical is an english adjective-forming suffix from latin '-icalis', meaning 'pertaining to'.
Examples
the pharmacological properties of the new compound are still under investigation.
her research focuses on the pharmacological interactions between different medications.
a thorough pharmacological profile is essential before a drug can be approved for clinical use.