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prescription drug

prescription drug

76 3.3
A medicine you can only get with a written order from a doctor
  • noun
  • /prɪˈskrɪpʃən drʌg/
translation icon : medicamento con receta
  • You can expect free prescription drugs, not only for the elderly but also for AIDS patients.
  • prescription drug use
  • prescription drug misuse
  • prescription drug abuse

And yes, if people want to buy prescription drugs, fair enough.

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Examples

  • Individuals commonly ask friends who have experience with a particular prescription drug about its effects.

    Academic text (2006)
  • I've been on prescription drugs for most of my life.

  • Eight prescription drugs, three times a day.

  • Understanding who is at risk for prescription drug abuse is important for several reasons.

    Academic text (2008)
  • I'm afraid of prescription drugs.

  • The nonmedical use of prescription drugs is a growing problem in the United States and worldwide.

    Academic text (2008)
  • She took some prescription drugs and mixed it with booze.

  • These are prescription drugs!

  • In sum, there has been a concerning rise in prescription drug misuse on college campuses in recent years.

    Academic text (2006)
  • After his examination, the doctor prescribed a prescription drug to help with the patient's condition.

Synonyms

prescription
vsprescription drug
253 3.0

A medicine you can get only with a doctor's written order

is the exact same meaning but uses a different name form
prescription medicine
vsprescription drug
5 3.3

A medicine you can only get with a doctor's written order

is limited to orders issued specifically by a doctor or dentist
prescribed medication
vsprescription drug
  • Specialized
3 3.2

A medicine a doctor tells you to take

requires a written order specifically from a doctor or dentist
ethical drug
vsprescription drug
  • Archaic
4.1

A medicine you can only get with a prescription from a doctor or dentist

is identical in meaning but differs only in naming or label

Antonyms

A medicine you can buy without a doctor's prescription

How Restricted

controlled substance
  • NSFW
22 5.1
prescription drug
76 3.3

Surface Forms

Morphology

prescription + drug

The meaning 'a drug that requires a doctor's written order' is directly and compositionally derived from 'prescription' (a written medical order) + 'drug' (medicine). This noun-noun compound follows common, cross-linguistic patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Prescription drug comes from the act of a doctor writing a prescription — a written order — for a drug to be given at the pharmacy. Because the medicine is given only after this written order, the phrase now means 'a medicine you can get only with a doctor's note'.