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Pharmacy & Pharmacology vocabulary · Prescriptions and Dosing

Twice daily

Meaning in pharmacy & pharmacology, with examples

phraseCore term

In pharmacy & pharmacology, twice daily means: Two times a day, usually about twelve hours apart, such as morning and evening; one of the most common directions on prescriptions and labels.

In Turkish: günde iki kez, günde iki defa

How it is used

Written BD or b.d. in the UK and BID or b.i.d. in the US, from the Latin 'bis in die'. Related patterns are once daily, three times daily (TDS/TID) and four times daily (QDS/QID). On labels 'twice a day' may be clearer, and pharmacists often turn it into real times such as 'with breakfast and dinner'.

Example sentences

  1. The prescription has been changed from three times daily to twice daily.

  2. Twice daily means morning and evening, roughly twelve hours apart.

Common collocations

  • take twice daily
  • twice-daily dosing
  • once daily
  • three times daily
  • dosageHow much of a medicine to take, how often and for how long, for example two tablets three times a day for five days.
  • as neededAn instruction meaning that a medicine is taken only when the patient has the symptom it treats, such as pain or breathlessness, not at fixed times.
  • dispensing labelThe label a pharmacy sticks on a dispensed medicine, showing the patient's name, the drug and strength, the directions for use, the date and the pharmacy's details.
  • adherenceThe extent to which a patient takes a medicine as agreed with the prescriber, at the right dose and times and for the right length of time.

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.