资料来源 : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Apothecary \A*poth"e*ca*ry\, n.; pl. {Apothecaries}. [OE.
   apotecarie, fr. LL. apothecarius, fr. L. apotheca storehouse,
   Gr. apo, fr. ? to put away; ? from + ? to put: cf. F.
   apothicaire, OF. apotecaire. See {Thesis}.]
   One who prepares and sells drugs or compounds for medicinal
   purposes.

   Note: In England an apothecary is one of a privileged class
         of practitioners -- a kind of sub-physician. The
         surgeon apothecary is the ordinary family medical
         attendant. One who sells drugs and makes up
         prescriptions is now commonly called in England a
         druggist or a pharmaceutical chemist.

   {Apothecaries' weight}, the system of weights by which
      medical prescriptions were formerly compounded. The pound
      and ounce are the same as in Troy weight; they differ only
      in the manner of subdivision. The ounce is divided into 8
      drams, 24 scruples, 480 grains. See {Troy weight}.

资料来源 : WordNet®

apothecaries' weight
     n : any weight unit used in pharmacy; an ounce is equal to 480
         grains and a pound is equal to 12 ounces [syn: {apothecaries'
         unit}]