noun
Uncommon
pharma
Pharma (noun) means the pharmaceutical industry — the business of developing, making, and selling drugs. Example: “Big pharma spends billions each year on research and marketing.”
noun
1
The pharmaceutical industry — the business of developing, making, and selling drugs.
"Big pharma spends billions each year on research and marketing."
"She landed a sales job in pharma straight out of university."
How to use pharma
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn informal, often slightly critical shorthand for the drug-making business as a whole.
When to use it
Informal/journalistic — you would not use "pharma" in a formal scientific paper, but it is standard in news and business writing.
Common pairings
big pharma
work in pharma
the pharma industry
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Big _____ spends billions each year on research and marketing.
Etymology
A shortened, informal clipping of "pharmaceutical."
Synonyms
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drug company
pharmaceutical company
Rhymes for pharma
See all rhymes for pharma →Frequently asked questions
What does “pharma” mean?
The word “pharma” means the pharmaceutical industry — the business of developing, making, and selling drugs. In plain terms, an informal, often slightly critical shorthand for the drug-making business as a whole.
How do you use “pharma” in a sentence?
Here is “pharma” used in a sentence: “Big pharma spends billions each year on research and marketing.”
What part of speech is “pharma”?
“Pharma” is a noun.
Is “pharma” a common word?
“Pharma” is an uncommon word in modern English.
