HealthAugust 18, 2026
psychopharmacological
SY-ko-far-muh-ko-LO-ji-kul
Definition
Relating to the branch of medicine concerned with the study or use of drugs to treat mental disorders.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek 'psyche' (mind or soul), 'pharmakon' (drug or medicine), and the suffix '-logical' (relating to the study of). It entered medical English in the mid-20th century to describe the emerging science of drug-based mental health interventions.
In the news
The article uses the term to describe a mental health provider who focuses on medication management as part of a patient's care. It highlights how this role is often distinguished from, and sometimes in tension with, psychotherapeutic treatment.
In Clancy case, the mental health care system is being put on trial
Read the full article ↗The Boston Globe