prescription
prescription Lexical Profile
prescription Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An official written or electronic order from a qualified medical practitioner authorizing a patient to be issued a specific medication or treatment, or the medicine itself.
"The physician wrote a prescription for antibiotics to treat the bacterial infection."
An authoritative recommendation, formula, or rule proposed as a means of achieving a desired result or solving a problem.
"Investment in public education is often cited as the best prescription for long-term economic growth."
The establishment of a legal claim, title, or right—such as an easement—through continuous, uninterrupted use or possession over a long period of time.
"The neighbors acquired a right of way across the field by prescription after using the footpath for thirty years."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse "prescription" (an authoritative order, recipe, or medical directive) with "proscription" (an official ban, prohibition, or condemnation).
• Rhymes for prescription
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed via Old French from Latin praescriptio ('a writing before, order, or rule'), from praescribere ('to write beforehand or direct'), formed from prae- ('before') and scribere ('to write').