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Pharmacy & Pharmacology vocabulary · Prescriptions and Dosing

Prescription

Meaning in pharmacy & pharmacology, with examples

/prɪˈskrɪpʃən/nounCore term

In pharmacy & pharmacology, prescription means: A written or electronic order from a doctor or other authorised prescriber that tells the pharmacist which medicine to supply and how the patient should use it.

In Turkish: reçete

How it is used

The most basic word at the pharmacy counter. Doctors write or issue a prescription; pharmacists check and dispense it, or in the US fill it. Medicines that need one are called prescription-only. Rx is a common short form, and many countries now use electronic prescriptions.

Example sentences

  1. Do you have a prescription for this, or would you like something you can buy without one?

  2. The prescription didn't say which strength to give, so I called the GP to check.

Common collocations

  • write a prescription
  • dispense a prescription
  • fill a prescription
  • repeat prescription
  • prescription-only medicine
  • prescribeTo decide that a patient should have a particular medicine or treatment and to write an official order for it.
  • dispenseTo prepare and supply a medicine to a patient against a prescription, usually after checking it, labelling it and explaining how to use it.
  • pharmacistA health professional trained in medicines who checks prescriptions, supplies medicines, advises people on using them safely and works with doctors on patients' treatment.
  • refillA further supply of a medicine that is allowed on the same prescription, so that the patient does not need a new prescription each time.
  • over-the-counterDescribes a medicine that can be bought without a prescription, in a pharmacy or, for some products, in ordinary shops and supermarkets.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Prescriptions and Dosing

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.