What does medically mean?
Medically is an adverb meaning in relation to medicine, according to medical criteria, or for medical reasons. It is commonly used when describing a doctor's assessment, a treatment's necessity, a patient's fitness for an activity, or a decision made on health grounds. For example, a person may be medically cleared to travel, or an application may be rejected because a treatment is not medically necessary. The word is most frequent in formal and professional settings, including healthcare, law, insurance, employment, and public administration. Unlike medical, which is an adjective naming a field, condition, or treatment, medically explains how something is being considered: from a medical perspective or according to medical standards. Although its use can sometimes feel detached or impersonal, it is useful because it clearly signals that a judgment is grounded in health-related expertise rather than personal preference.
adverbIn a manner relating to medicine or the treatment of disease. It can also mean according to medical criteria or for medical reasons.
- In relation to medicine or the treatment of disease.
- According to medical judgment, criteria, or advice.
- For medical treatment or on medical grounds.
"The patient was medically cleared to return to work."
"Medically, there is no reason for the patient to stop taking the medication."
"The application was denied because the treatment was not medically necessary."
Medically is the adverb that gives a professional health perspective to a question about the body.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does medically come from?
Medically was formed by adding the suffix -ly to the adjective medical, changing it into an adverb. Medical comes through French from Latin medicus, meaning “doctor” or “physician,” and ultimately relates to Latin mederi, meaning “to heal” or “to tend.” The same Latin root also underlies medicine, medicinal, and medic.
How medically is actually used
The word is formal and especially common in clinical, legal, administrative, and health-related contexts. It can sound precise and professional, but also impersonal when used to refer to a person's health or eligibility.
Easily confused with medically
Medical is an adjective, as in medical treatment, while medically is an adverb describing an action or qualification performed in relation to medicine.