Meaning
medicine, drug, medication
In a sentence
Questo farmaco mi aiuta a dormire meglio.
This medicine helps me sleep better.
Hai già preso il farmaco dopo pranzo?
Have you already taken the medicine after lunch?
Non prendere quel farmaco senza parlare col medico.
Don't take that drug without talking to the doctor.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| farmaco | masculine · singular |
| farmaci | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- Farmaco is more technical or formal than medicina; in everyday speech, medicine/medicines often sounds more natural.
- Drug labels, doctors, and pharmacies commonly use farmaco; for a single pill or tablet, use compressa or pillola instead.
- In plural, farmaci often means medications in general; avoid using droga, which usually means illegal drug in modern Italian.