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 the drug or remedy prescribed written instructions from an optician specifying the lenses needed to correct defects of vision (as modifier): prescription glasses the act of prescribing something that is prescribed a long established custom or a claim based on one the uninterrupted possession of property over a stated period of time, after which a right or title is acquired (positive prescription) the barring of adverse claims to property, etc, after a specified period of time has elapsed, allowing the possessor to acquire title (negative prescription)
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
pre•scrip•tion /prɪˈskrɪpʃən/USA pronunciation
n.
adj. [before a noun]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- Medicine[countable]
- , Medicinea written direction by a physician for the preparation and use of a medicine:The prescription says to take two pills every six hours.
- the medicine prescribed:Can you fill this prescription?
- Medicine[uncountable] the act of prescribing.
- Medicine something prescribed:[countable]a prescription for disaster.
adj. [before a noun]
- Drugs, Medicine(of drugs) sold only upon medical prescription:prescription drugs.
pre•scrip•tion
(pri skrip′shən),USA pronunciation n.
adj.
- Medicine
- a direction, usually written, by the physician to the pharmacist for the preparation and use of a medicine or remedy.
- the medicine prescribed:Take this prescription three times a day.
- Medicinean act of prescribing.
- Medicinethat which is prescribed.
- Law
- a long or immemorial use of some right with respect to a thing so as to give a right to continue such use.
- the process of acquiring rights by uninterrupted assertion of the right over a long period of time.
adj.
- Drugs, Medicine(of drugs) sold only upon medical prescription;
ethical. Cf. over-the-counter (def. 2).
- 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
- Middle English 1250–1300
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'prescription drug' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):