Latin Terms and Abbreviations Used in Prescriptions

Abbreviation Latin Term/ Phrase English Meaning

1. a., applic. applicantus, a, um to be applied
2. aa ana of each
3. a.c., ant.cib. ante cibum before food
4. ad ad to sufficient, to produce
5. addend addendus, a, um to be added
6.   addendo by adding
7. a.h., alt. hor. alternis horis every other hour
8. a.j. ante jentaculum before breakfast
9. alt. die alterno die every other day
10. aq. calid. aqua calida hot water
11. aq. dest. aqua destillata distilled water
12. aq. frig. aqua frigida cold water
13. aug. augeatur let it be increased
14. aur. auris the ear
15. b. bis twice
16. b.d., b.i.d. bis die, bis in die twice daily
17. b.t.d., b.t.i.d. bis terve in die two or three times a day
18. c.c. cum cibos with food
19. c.l.q.s. cuilibet quantum sufficiat a sufficient quantity, as you
please
20. cap. cape take
21.   capitat let him take
22.   capiatur let it be taken
23.   capiantur let them be taken
24.   capiedus, a, um to be taken
25. comp. compositus, a, um compound
26. coch. cochleare spoonful
27. conc. concentratus, a, um concentrate
28. d.d. de die daily
29. d. in p. aeq. divide in partes aequales divide into equal parts
30. d.p. directione propria with proper directions
31. decub. hor decubitas hora at bedtime
32. dext. dexter right, on the right
33. dil. dilutus, a, um diluted
34. div. divide divide
35. dol. urg. dolore urgente when the pain is severe
36. dolent. part. dolenti parti to the afflicted part
37. dup., dx. duplex double
38. dur. durus hard
39. dur. dol. durante dolore when the pain lasts
40. e.m.p. ex modo praescripto in the manner prescribed
41. e. paul. aq. ex paulo aquae in a little water
42. ex ex from out of
43. ex aq. ex aqua with water
44. ex. aq. coch. ampli. ex aqua cochleari ampo in a tablespoonful of water
45. extempl. extemplo immediately
46. f., ft. fiat let it be made
47.   fiant let them be made
48. fort. fortis, e strong
49. gtt. gutta, guttae drop, drops, eye-drops
50. h.s. hora somni at bedtime
51. hac noct. hac nocte tonight
52. i.c. inter cibos between meals
53. in loc. frig. in loco frigido in a cool place
54. infric. infracandus, a, um to be rubbed in
55.   infricetur let it be rubbed
56. laev. laevus, a, um left, on the left
57. luc. p. luce prima early in the morning
58. m. misce mix
59. m., man. mane in the morning
60. m., mitt. mitte send
61. m.d. more dicto as directed
62. n., noct. nocte at night
63. n. mque. nocte maneque night and morning
64. n. et m. nocte et mane night and morning
65. ne rep. ne repetatu do not repeat
66. non rep. non repetatur do not repeat
67. N.P., nom. prop. nomen proprium proper name
68. o., om omni every, each
69. oc., ocul. oculus the eye
70. o.d. omni die everyday
71. p.a., part. aff. parti affectae to the affected part
72. p.a.a. parti affectae applicandus to be applied to the affected
part
73. p. aeq. partes aequales equal parts
74. p.c. post cibum after food
75. p.m. post meridiem afternoon
76.   primo mane early in the morning
77. p.p.a. phiala prius agitata the bottle having first been
shaken
78. p.r.n. pro re nata when required
79. pond. ponderosus heavy
80. ppt. praecupitatus, a, um precipitated
81. pro dos. pro dosi for a dose
82. prox. luc. proxima luce on the next day
83. pulv. pulverisatus, a, um powdered
84. q., qq. quaque every
85. q.d.s. quarter die sumendus, a, um to be taken four times a day
86. q. dx. quantitas duplex double quantity
87. q.h.s. quartis horis sumendus to be taken every four hours
88. q.i.d. quarter in die four times a day
89. q.q.h. quarta quaque hora every four hours
90. q.s. quantum sufficiat as much as is sufficient
91. quart quarter, a, um fourth
92. quot. quotidle daily
93. Rx recipe take
94. rep. repetatur let it be repeated
95. rep. dos. repetatur dosis let the dose be repeated
96. s. sine without
97. s., sum. sumat let him take
98.   sumatur let it be taken
99.   sumantur let them be taken
100.   sumendus, a, um to be taken
101. s.a. secundum artem with pharmaceutical skill (i.e.
 according to art)
102. saep. saepe often
103. sem in die semen in die once a day
104. sicc. siccus dried
105. s., sinist., sinister left, on the left
106. sig. signa label
107. S.O.S. Si opus sit if necessary
108. ss. semis the half
109. stat. statim immediately
110. sug. sugatur let it be sucked
111. t.d.s. ter die sumendus, a, um to be taken three times daily
112. t.i.d. ter in die three times a day
113. t.q.d., t.q.i.d. ter quaterve in die three or four times daily
114. tuss. tussis a cough
115. tuss. urg. tussis urgente when the cough is troublesome
116. u., utend utendus, a, um to be used
117. u.d., ut. dict. ut dictum as directed
118. ut. supr. ut supra as above
119. v., vesp. vespere in the evening