Medication in Different Languages
Discover 'Medication' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Medication, a simple word that carries immense significance in our daily lives. It's a cultural cornerstone, a testament to human ingenuity and compassion, as we've constantly strived to heal, alleviate pain, and extend life. The word 'medication' itself is a tapestry of history, woven from the Latin 'medicare' meaning 'to heal'.
Understanding the translation of 'medication' in different languages not only broadens our linguistic horizons but also offers a glimpse into how various cultures approach health and healing. For instance, in Spanish, medication is 'medicamento', in French, it's 'médicament', and in German, it's 'Medikament'.
Delving into these translations, we find fascinating nuances and historical contexts. For example, the German 'Medikament' shares roots with the English 'medicine', both stemming from the Latin 'medicina', a term that once encompassed all aspects of healing, from herbal remedies to spiritual balm.
Join us as we explore more translations of 'medication' in a variety of languages, a journey that promises to be as enlightening as it is intriguing.
Medication
Medication in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | medikasie | ||
| The Afrikaans 'medikasie' derives from the Dutch 'medicatie' (medical treatment), ultimately originating from the Latin 'medicus' (physician). | |||
| Amharic | መድሃኒት | ||
| In Amharic, the word "መድሃኒት" can also mean "knowledge of the past" or "the study of history." | |||
| Hausa | magani | ||
| "Magani" is a Hausa word which also means "secret" or "mystery". | |||
| Igbo | ọgwụ | ||
| Malagasy | fanafody | ||
| The word "fanafody" is derived from the Arabic word "dawa", meaning "medicine". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mankhwala | ||
| The word "mankhwala" is also used to refer to traditional or herbal remedies. | |||
| Shona | mishonga | ||
| The word 'mishonga' is derived from the root word 'shonga', which means 'to mix' or 'to prepare'. | |||
| Somali | daawo | ||
| The verb form is also used as an idiom to refer to taking one's revenge. | |||
| Sesotho | meriana | ||
| The term "meriana" can also refer to a "cure" or a "remedy". | |||
| Swahili | dawa | ||
| The word "dawa" in Swahili can also refer to a charm or spell used for healing or protection. | |||
| Xhosa | amayeza | ||
| The word 'amayeza' comes from the Nguni word 'amayela' meaning 'to heal', and it can also refer to traditional healing practices or herbal remedies. | |||
| Yoruba | oogun | ||
| In Yoruba, the term "oogun" encompasses both "medication" and "poison," reflecting the concept of duality and the potential for substances to have both healing and harmful effects. | |||
| Zulu | imithi | ||
| The word "imithi" in Zulu also refers to traditional healing practices and herbal remedies. | |||
| Bambara | furaw tali | ||
| Ewe | atikewo zazã | ||
| Kinyarwanda | imiti | ||
| Lingala | nkisi ya monganga | ||
| Luganda | eddagala | ||
| Sepedi | dihlare | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nnuru a wɔde di dwuma | ||
Medication in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | دواء | ||
| The Arabic word "دواء" (medication) originally meant "a charm to protect against the evil eye". | |||
| Hebrew | תרופות | ||
| The term תרופות not only refers to "medication" in Hebrew but also to "remedies" and "relief". | |||
| Pashto | درمل | ||
| In some Pashto dialects, "درمل" can also refer to "medicine" or "treatment." | |||
| Arabic | دواء | ||
| The Arabic word "دواء" (medication) originally meant "a charm to protect against the evil eye". | |||
Medication in Western European Languages
| Albanian | mjekim | ||
| Mjekimi is derived from mjek, meaning doctor, which in turn comes from the Proto-Albanian *mjeku (physician). | |||
| Basque | botikak | ||
| The Basque word "botikak" is derived from the French word "boutique", meaning "shop" or "store". | |||
| Catalan | medicació | ||
| The word 'medicació' comes from the Latin word 'medicatio', which means 'the act of healing'. | |||
| Croatian | lijekovi | ||
| The word 'lijekovi' is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *lěkъ, meaning 'to heal'. | |||
| Danish | medicin | ||
| The Danish word "medicin" originates from the Latin word "medicina", meaning "healing art". | |||
| Dutch | medicatie | ||
| In Dutch, "medicatie" can also refer to a "course of treatment" or a "prescription". | |||
| English | medication | ||
| In ancient Greece, the term 'medication' referred to a magic philter or love potion, while in modern science it denotes therapeutic drugs or treatments. | |||
| French | médicament | ||
| "Médicament" (medication) comes from the Latin "medicamentum," meaning "healing substance" or, by extension, "poison". | |||
| Frisian | medikaasje | ||
| The Frisian word "medikaasje" originates from the Dutch word "medicatie" and ultimately from the Latin word "medicatio", meaning "healing". | |||
| Galician | medicación | ||
| "Medicación" (medication) comes from the Latin "medicare" meaning "to heal" and also means "poison" in Galician. | |||
| German | medikament | ||
| "Medikament" is derived from the Medieval Latin word "medicamentum" meaning "healing substance". | |||
| Icelandic | lyf | ||
| Lyf is a word used in Icelandic to refer to both medication and life, with the latter referring to the abstract concept of existence or being. | |||
| Irish | cógais | ||
| The Irish word 'cógais' derives from the Old Irish 'cóic' meaning 'five' and refers to the five main remedies: bleeding, purging, fomentation, cupping and diet. | |||
| Italian | farmaco | ||
| The word | |||
| Luxembourgish | medikamenter | ||
| Medikamenter shares its etymological root with 'Medikation' and 'Medizin' in German, and 'medicament' or 'médicaments' in French, all of which stem from 'medicus', the Latin word for physician. | |||
| Maltese | medikazzjoni | ||
| "Medikazzjoni" in Maltese originally referred to medical treatment in general, rather than specifically to drugs. | |||
| Norwegian | medisiner | ||
| The word "medisiner" also means "poisons" in Norwegian. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | medicamento | ||
| The word "medicamento" comes from the Latin word "medicamentum", meaning "a healing substance". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | cungaidh-leigheis | ||
| "Cungaidh-leigheis" also refers to medical science and medicine more broadly. | |||
| Spanish | medicamento | ||
| The term "medicamento" derives from the Latin word "medicamentum," which refers to a healing or therapeutic substance. | |||
| Swedish | medicin | ||
| "Medicin" is derived from the Latin word "medicina", which means "healing art". | |||
| Welsh | meddyginiaeth | ||
| The term "meddyginiaeth" can refer to either a medical remedy, or the medical art in general. | |||
Medication in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | лекі | ||
| "Лекі" may also mean "remedy" or "medicine" in Belarusian. | |||
| Bosnian | lijekovi | ||
| The word "lijekovi" also means "remedies" in Bosnian. | |||
| Bulgarian | лекарства | ||
| In Bulgarian, "лекарства" also means "remedy", "cure", or "medicine". | |||
| Czech | léky | ||
| The word "léky" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "lěkъ", meaning "healing" or "remedy." | |||
| Estonian | ravimid | ||
| Derived from Latin word “remedium”, meaning “cure”. | |||
| Finnish | lääkitys | ||
| "Lääkitys" ultimately derives from the Old Norse word "læknir" meaning "physician". | |||
| Hungarian | gyógyszer | ||
| The Hungarian word "gyógyszer" (medication) derives from the Proto-Turkic word *yog-, meaning "to heal". | |||
| Latvian | zāles | ||
| "Zāles" derives from the Proto-Indo-European root "*ǵʰel-", meaning "to swallow", and can also refer to herbs, spices, and other plant-based substances. | |||
| Lithuanian | vaistas | ||
| "Vaistas" can also refer to "an act of healing", which is where the similar Latin word "vestis" means "a covering". | |||
| Macedonian | лекови | ||
| The word "лекови" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*lěkъ", meaning "healing" or "remedy". | |||
| Polish | lek | ||
| Lek, a word for "medicine" in Polish, derives from an old Germanic root "laik" which means "to care" or "to heal". | |||
| Romanian | medicament | ||
| "Medicament" in Romanian also means "herbal healing". | |||
| Russian | медикамент | ||
| The word "медикамент" originally referred to a healing potion or ointment, and can also mean "medicine" or "drug". | |||
| Serbian | лекови | ||
| The word "лекови" is derived from the Old Slavic verb "лечити" which means "to heal" but can also imply "to treat" and thus refer to any substance with therapeutic qualities. | |||
| Slovak | lieky | ||
| The Slavic word "lieky" comes from "lic", meaning "to heal." | |||
| Slovenian | zdravila | ||
| The word "zdravila" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *zdravъ, meaning "healthy" or "whole." | |||
| Ukrainian | ліки | ||
| The word "ліки" in Ukrainian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "lěky", which originally meant "a remedy or cure". | |||
Medication in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ওষুধ | ||
| "ওষুধ" comes from Sanskrit and is related to "uṣadh" (plant). | |||
| Gujarati | દવા | ||
| "દવા" (medication) is Gujarati for "forest fire" in Sanskrit. | |||
| Hindi | दवाई | ||
| The word 'दवाई' (medication in Hindi) derives from the Arabic word 'dawa' meaning both 'dispute' and 'antidote', highlighting the multifaceted nature of healthcare. | |||
| Kannada | ation ಷಧಿ | ||
| The term 'ation ಷಧಿ' is commonly known for its meaning as herbal or Ayurvedic medication. | |||
| Malayalam | മരുന്ന് | ||
| The word "മരുന്ന്" is derived from the Sanskrit word "maruta" which means "wind" or "air". | |||
| Marathi | औषधोपचार | ||
| The word "औषधोपचार" is derived from the Sanskrit words "औषध" (medicine) and "उपचार" (treatment), and can also refer to the practice of medicine or the medical field in general. | |||
| Nepali | औषधि | ||
| औषधि (ausadhi) is derived from the Sanskrit word 'oषधि' (osadhi), meaning 'herb' or 'plant used for medicinal purposes'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਦਵਾਈ | ||
| Punjabi word "ਦਾਵਾਈ" (medication) originates from the Arabic language and also signifies "claim" or "lawsuit". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | බෙහෙත් | ||
| The Sinhala word 'බෙහෙත්' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'वैद्य' ('vaidya'), meaning a physician or a traditional healer. | |||
| Tamil | மருந்து | ||
| The Tamil word "மருந்து" (maru̲ntu) also refers to healing and can be used to describe spells and incantations. | |||
| Telugu | మందులు | ||
| The word "మందులు" can also refer to "poison" or various types of "spices" used in cooking in Telugu. | |||
| Urdu | علاج | ||
| The word "علاج" primarily means "medication," but can also refer to "remedy," "cure," or "treatment." | |||
Medication in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 药物 | ||
| The Chinese term "药物" can be used to refer to both pharmaceuticals and narcotics. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 藥物 | ||
| 「藥物」一詞源自中醫，本指植物藥物，後擴展為所有用於治病的物質。 | |||
| Japanese | 投薬 | ||
| 投薬 is also used figuratively to describe "brainwashing". | |||
| Korean | 약물 | ||
| 약물 is a compound word that means “healing” (약) and “thing” (물). | |||
| Mongolian | эм | ||
| "Эм" may also refer to various herbs or the root word for healing, recovery, medicine or cure. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဆေးဝါး | ||
| The word "ဆေးဝါး" (thase wa) also means "medicine" in Myanmar, but it originally referred to traditional herbal remedies. | |||
Medication in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | pengobatan | ||
| "Pengobatan" in Indonesian also means traditional health services involving plants and herbs. | |||
| Javanese | pangobatan | ||
| Pangobatan in Javanese also refers to the practice of traditional healing and medicine. | |||
| Khmer | ថ្នាំ | ||
| ថ្នាំ is a word derived from the Thai word "ยา" (yaa) and can also refer to "medicine" as a discipline of study. | |||
| Lao | ຢາ | ||
| The Lao word "ຢາ" is also used as a classifier for various small items. | |||
| Malay | ubat | ||
| The word "ubat" is cognate with the Javanese word "ubet" meaning "root", and is likely derived from the Proto-Austronesian word "*ubat" meaning "poison". | |||
| Thai | ยา | ||
| The word "ยา" (medication) derives from the Khmer word, "អា" (ya), which refers to herbal remedies. | |||
| Vietnamese | thuốc | ||
| The word "thuốc" in Vietnamese can also refer to poison or a spell, and is derived from the Sino-Vietnamese word "độc" (毒), meaning "poison". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | gamot | ||
Medication in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | dərman | ||
| The word "dərman" comes from the Proto-Turkic word "darmaŋ", meaning "remedy", and is also used in Turkish, Kazakh, Uzbek, and other Turkic languages. | |||
| Kazakh | дәрі-дәрмек | ||
| "Дәрі-дәрмек" means "various medicines" in Kazakh, but it can also mean "a lot of gossip" or "spreading rumors". | |||
| Kyrgyz | дары-дармектер | ||
| Tajik | доруҳо | ||
| The word "доруҳо" is derived from the Persian word "دارو" (dāru), meaning "medicine" or "drug". | |||
| Turkmen | derman | ||
| Uzbek | dorilar | ||
| In Uzbek, "dorilar" also refers to "medicines" in addition to the medical context. | |||
| Uyghur | دورا | ||
Medication in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | lāʻau lapaʻau | ||
| The Hawaiian term for medicine, lāʻau lapaʻau, can refer to a whole plant used for healing as well as a medicine made from a part of a plant. | |||
| Maori | rongoā | ||
| The word "rongoā" in Māori can also refer to traditional healing practices or knowledge. | |||
| Samoan | vailaʻau | ||
| The Samoan word 'vailaʻau' can also refer to traditional herbal remedies or practices. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | gamot | ||
| The word "gamot" in Tagalog can also mean "remedy" or "cure", and is related to the Sanskrit word "gam", meaning "to go" or "to move." | |||
Medication in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | qullanaka | ||
| Guarani | pohã rehegua | ||
Medication in International Languages
| Esperanto | medikamento | ||
| The Esperanto word "medikamento" is derived from the Latin word "medicamentum", which means "healing substance" or "remedy". | |||
| Latin | medicamen | ||
| The Latin word "medicamen" can also mean "a charm" or "a spell". | |||
Medication in Others Languages
| Greek | φαρμακευτική αγωγή | ||
| The Greek word "φαρμακευτική αγωγή" also means "pharmacology". | |||
| Hmong | noj tshuaj | ||
| The Hmong word "noj tshuaj" is actually a compound word that means "to heal with medicine" or "to cure with medicine". | |||
| Kurdish | derman kirin | ||
| Derman kirin is derived from the Persian word 'derman' meaning remedy, cure, or medicine. | |||
| Turkish | ilaç tedavisi | ||
| İlaç tedavisi is a phrase used in Turkish to refer to the prescription of medications to treat illnesses and diseases. | |||
| Xhosa | amayeza | ||
| The word 'amayeza' comes from the Nguni word 'amayela' meaning 'to heal', and it can also refer to traditional healing practices or herbal remedies. | |||
| Yiddish | מעדאַקיישאַן | ||
| The Yiddish word מעדאַקיישאַן derives from the Latin medicatio, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root med- ( | |||
| Zulu | imithi | ||
| The word "imithi" in Zulu also refers to traditional healing practices and herbal remedies. | |||
| Assamese | ঔষধ | ||
| Aymara | qullanaka | ||
| Bhojpuri | दवाई के दवाई दिहल जाला | ||
| Dhivehi | ބޭސް | ||
| Dogri | दवाई दी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | gamot | ||
| Guarani | pohã rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | agas | ||
| Krio | mɛrɛsin we dɛn kin gi | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | دەرمان | ||
| Maithili | दवाई | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯍꯤꯗꯥꯛ-ꯂꯥꯡꯊꯛ ꯄꯤꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | damdawi ei tur a ni | ||
| Oromo | qoricha | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ication ଷଧ | ||
| Quechua | hampi | ||
| Sanskrit | औषधम् | ||
| Tatar | дарулар | ||
| Tigrinya | መድሃኒት ምውሳድ | ||
| Tsonga | mirhi ya vutshunguri | ||