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

The research team also reviewed prescription information and hospital records.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026

Medicare Advantage bundles many services that aren’t covered by the traditional program, such as dental care and health clubs, and its stated prescription premiums are as little as one-fourth of the Part D charges.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

Medicare is scrapping a temporary program that helped keep the price of monthly premiums in check for older adults with Part D prescription drug plans.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026

The move could leave many seniors facing higher rates for their prescription coverage next year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

Ulbrickson’s prescription was considerably less enjoyable than a steak.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown

Americans became desperate for Wegovy and off-label prescriptions of Ozempic to help them lose weight.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026

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

"Instead of relying solely on high-frequency exercise prescriptions, once-weekly interval training can be considered a feasible and effective alternative," added Professor Siu.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 2, 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

She drove me to school and back every day, and even after Gramps came home she helped us, picking up his new prescriptions and making sure we had food in the house.

From "We Are Okay" by Nina LaCour

Related Words

• drug
• instruction
• recipe
• remedy