over-the-counter drug
4
2.8
- noun
- /ˈoʊvər ðə ˈkaʊntər drʌg/
:
medicamento de venta libre
- She found relief from her cold symptoms after taking an over-the-counter drug that contained decongestants.
- prescription and over-the-counter drug
Willow tree bark was used to treat pain and fevers for thousands of years and became the basis for this popular over the counter drug.
- Willow tree bark was used to treat pain and fevers for thousands of years and became the basis for this popular over the counter drug.
Examples
-
Frequent use of over-the-counter drugs.
Academic text (1991) -
I use a wonderful over-the-counter drug: Ultra-dorm.
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Many expressed a preference for home remedies instead of over-the-counter drugs for cultural reasons and their proven effectiveness.
Academic text (1995) -
Prospectively monitoring over-the-counter drug sales may help health departments quickly detect outbreaks of diarrhea disease.
Academic text (1997) -
Many people prefer to use an over-the-counter drug like ibuprofen for minor aches and pains.
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Before you take any over-the-counter drug, make sure to read the label for dosage instructions.
Synonyms
1
2.7
A medicine you can buy without a doctor's prescription
Antonyms
How Available
4
2.8
76
3.3
Surface Forms
Morphology
over-the-counter + drug
The compound 'over-the-counter' literally describes sale at the counter, so a B1 learner who knows 'over', 'counter' and 'drug' can infer it refers to a medication sold directly without a doctor's prescription. This is a straightforward, compositionally built commercial concept found in many languages, making the meaning predictable from its parts.
Etymology
Over-the-counter drug comes from the simple picture of buying medicine at a pharmacy: you ask for it at the counter and it is passed over to you without a doctor's note. That's why it means 'a drug you can buy without a doctor's prescription'.