PRESCRIPTION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does prescription mean? 

• PRESCRIPTION (noun)
  The noun PRESCRIPTION has 4 senses:

1. directions prescribed beforehand; the action of prescribing authoritative rules or directions

2. a drug that is available only with written instructions from a doctor or dentist to a pharmacist

3. written instructions for an optician on the lenses for a given person

4. written instructions from a physician or dentist to a druggist concerning the form and dosage of a drug to be issued to a given patient

  Familiarity information: PRESCRIPTION used as a noun is uncommon.

• PRESCRIPTION (adjective)
  The adjective PRESCRIPTION has 1 sense:

1. available only with a doctor's written prescription

  Familiarity information: PRESCRIPTION used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PRESCRIPTION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Directions prescribed beforehand; the action of prescribing authoritative rules or directions

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Context example:

I tried to follow her prescription for success

Hypernyms ("prescription" is a kind of...):

direction; instruction (a message describing how something is to be done)

Derivation:

prescribe (issue commands or orders for)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A drug that is available only with written instructions from a doctor or dentist to a pharmacist

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

ethical drug; prescription; prescription drug; prescription medicine

Context example:

he told the doctor that he had been taking his prescription regularly

Hypernyms ("prescription" is a kind of...):

medicament; medication; medicinal drug; medicine ((medicine) something that treats or prevents or alleviates the symptoms of disease)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "prescription"):

refill (a prescription drug that is provided again)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Written instructions for an optician on the lenses for a given person

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("prescription" is a kind of...):

black and white; written communication; written language (communication by means of written symbols (either printed or handwritten))

Sense 4

Meaning:

Written instructions from a physician or dentist to a druggist concerning the form and dosage of a drug to be issued to a given patient

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("prescription" is a kind of...):

black and white; written communication; written language (communication by means of written symbols (either printed or handwritten))

• PRESCRIPTION (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Available only with a doctor's written prescription

Context example:

a prescription drug

Domain category:

medicament; medication; medicinal drug; medicine ((medicine) something that treats or prevents or alleviates the symptoms of disease)

Antonym:

nonprescription (purchasable without a doctor's prescription)

 Context examples 

Nicotine patches are available with and without a prescription.

(Nicotine patch, NCI Dictionary)

Refers to a medicine that can be bought without a prescription (doctor's order).

(Nonprescription, NCI Dictionary)

Do not save antibiotics for later or use someone else's prescription.

(Antibiotics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

A prescription is needed for nicotine nasal spray.

(Nicotine nasal spray, NCI Dictionary)

Prescriptions poured in from all quarters, and as usual, were all declined.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

If you have a cold or the flu, antihistamines may work better than non-prescription cough medicines.

(Cough, NIH)

For prescription medicines, there is a "Pediatric" section of the label.

(Medicines and Children, Food and Drug Administration)

Others may need prescription medicines or surgery.

(Esophagus Disorders, NIH)

A medicine or device that can be bought without a doctor's order or prescription.

(Over the Counter Product, NCI Thesaurus)

The process of distributing prescription medications for human use.

(Human Prescription Drug Distribution, NCI Thesaurus)