prescription

American  

[pri-skrip-shuhn] / prɪˈskrɪp ʃən /

noun

• prescriptions
  plural

1. Medicine/Medical.

   1. a direction, usually written, by the physician to the pharmacist for the preparation and use of a medicine or remedy.

   2. the medicine prescribed.

      Take this prescription three times a day.

2. an act of prescribing.

3. that which is prescribed.

4. Law.

   1. Also called positive prescription.  a long or immemorial use of some right with respect to a thing so as to give a right to continue such use.

   2. Also called positive prescription.  the process of acquiring rights by uninterrupted assertion of the right over a long period of time.

   3. Also called negative prescription.  the loss of rights to legal remedy due to the limitation of time within which an action can be taken.

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adjective

1. (of drugs) sold only upon medical prescription; ethical.

prescription British  

/ prɪˈskrɪpʃən /

noun

1. 1. written instructions from a physician, dentist, etc, to a pharmacist stating the form, dosage strength, etc, of a drug to be issued to a specific patient

   2. the drug or remedy prescribed

2. (modifier) (of drugs) available legally only with a doctor's prescription

3. 1. written instructions from an optician specifying the lenses needed to correct defects of vision

   2. ( as modifier )

      prescription glasses

4. the act of prescribing

5. something that is prescribed

6. a long established custom or a claim based on one

7. law

   1. the uninterrupted possession of property over a stated period of time, after which a right or title is acquired ( positive prescription )

   2. the barring of adverse claims to property, etc, after a specified period of time has elapsed, allowing the possessor to acquire title ( negative prescription )

   3. the right or title acquired in either of these ways

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• prescriptions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of prescription

1250–1300; Middle English < Medieval Latin praescrīptiōn- (stem of praescrīptiō ) legal possession (of property), law, order, literally, a writing before, hence, a heading on a document. See prescript, -ion

Explanation

A prescription is an order written by a doctor for someone to get a drug that is not available without this permission. If you get a bad ear infection, you'll need a prescription for antibiotics. When your doctor writes a prescription, she's advising you to take a medication that you can only get from a pharmacist. You can refer to the paper with the drug's name and the doctor's signature and the bottle of medicine as a prescription. Sometimes prescription is used in a non-medical way to simply mean a suggestion or recommendation, like laughter and friends — a great prescription for chasing away the blues.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

prescription prescriptions

“His prescription contact lenses had expired,” Sidhar reported, “and he told his chain of command that he couldn’t even see what he was doing, and he was worried about causing accidents.”

From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2026

For early prediabetes and mild hypertension, those habits can rival a prescription.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

For many Americans, the price of prescription drugs is an enigma.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026

But while people will be able to buy it privately with a prescription, the approval by the Medicines and Healthcare productors Regulatory Agency does not automatically mean it will be made available on the NHS.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

I barely hear the doctor give my parents my at-home care instructions—a sling, a prescription, and physical therapy starting next week.

From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed

The Wegovy pill has been held up as a success story under Novo Nordisk’s new leadership, recording more than 5 million prescriptions since January.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026

Children already on the medication were allowed to continue but new prescriptions could only be offered as part of a controlled clinical trial.

From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026

Generics make up 90% of all U.S. prescriptions and have kept down prescription drug prices.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

More than 4.2 million patients in the US received prescriptions for the drug in 2023.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026

In his pocket were several prescriptions to be left at the pharmacy.

From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers

Related Words

• drug
• instruction
• recipe
• remedy