prescription

American  

[pri-skrip-shuhn] / prɪˈskrɪp ʃən /

noun

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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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

Example Sentences

The program, called AmgenNow, is in response to the White House’s call to reduce prescription drug prices for U.S. consumers.

From The Wall Street Journal

Aria was born in December 2024 healthy and without any side effects from the prescription medication.

From BBC

“In this situation, the only prescription from the monetary policy side is to raise the policy interest rate in a timely and appropriate manner.”

From The Wall Street Journal

According to the latest best estimates by researchers from University College London, about 1.6 million UK adults have used weight-loss injections in the past year – mostly bought through private prescriptions rather than on the NHS.

From BBC

People who stop taking prescription weight loss medications often regain weight and lose many of the health improvements they achieved, according to a study published by The BMJ.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• drug
• instruction
• recipe
• remedy