nonprescription

American  

[non-pri-skrip-shuhn] / ˌnɒn prɪˈskrɪp ʃən /

adjective

1. (of drugs, medication, etc.) legally available for purchase without a doctor's prescription; over-the-counter.

---

Etymology

Origin of nonprescription

First recorded in 1955–60; non- + prescription

Example Sentences

One couple, allegedly approached at a supermarket, was told by Minerd they could receive $300 a month each and receive nutritional shakes, nonprescription vitamins and wheelchairs, Essayli said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

The study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition checked the amounts of choline and iodine in nonprescription and prescription prenatal vitamins.

From Science Daily • Nov. 21, 2024

You will learn more about Vicks and other nonprescription approaches to calming a cough in our “eGuide to Colds, Coughs & the Flu.”

From Seattle Times • Feb. 28, 2024

"Today's approval marks the first time a nonprescription daily oral contraceptive will be an available option for millions of people in the United States."

From Salon • Jul. 13, 2023

“We can’t just approve it based on the experience in the prescription setting without the applicant doing adequate studies to look at what’s likely to happen in the nonprescription setting,” she said.

From New York Times • May 10, 2023