Origin: Latin suffix -al
Medicinal has 3 different meanings across 1 category:
Any plant that can be used for medicinal purposes.
"They gathered wild herbs to use as a source of medicinal plants for treating common illnesses."
"The patient asked if there was any medicinal left in the bottle after finishing his last dose."
having the properties of medicine
"medicative drugs"
"medicinal herbs"
"medicinal properties"
Having the properties of medicine, or pertaining to medicine; medical.
"The herbal tea has medicinal properties that can help soothe a sore throat."
In plain English: Medicinal means something that is used to treat sickness or cure illness.
"The herbal tea has medicinal properties that help soothe my cough."
Usage: Use "medicinal" specifically when describing something with healing properties rather than general health benefits like exercise or diet. Avoid using it as a synonym for "medical," which refers broadly to the profession or field of healthcare.
The word medicinal comes from the Latin term medicinālis, which directly relates to medicine. It entered English through a straightforward combination of the root for healing and a suffix meaning "pertaining to."