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Glite Dictionary
unprescribed

unprescribed

1 7.7
Not officially ordered by a doctor or allowed by an authority
  • adjective
  • /ˌʌnprɪˈskrɪbd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : no recetado
  • He was concerned about the unprescribed supplements his friend was taking to enhance performance.

In Hamlet, the being of beings must be undefined, unprescribed, undeclared.

Examples

  • The patient was advised not to take any unprescribed medications without consulting their doctor first.

  • Take no unprescribed action.

    Blog text (21)

  • In addition to marijuana, the use of unprescribed psychoactive medicaments (tranquilizers or sedatives) was also rather common.

    Academic text (2007)

  • Wilens reported that those who were treated with methylphenidate were less likely to abuse drugs, including prescribed or unprescribed stimulants, during treatment and throughout youth and adolescence.

    Academic text (2003)

  • The evaluation of previous drug use included the following substances: tobacco, alcohol, crack, powder cocaine, heroin, unprescribed opiates, methamphetamine, amphetamine, hallucinogens, marijuana, ecstasy, and ketamine.

    Academic text (2007)

  • Using unprescribed drugs can lead to serious health risks and complications.

Synonyms

over-the-counter
vsunprescribed
22 3.2

Medicine you can buy without a doctor's prescription

highlights missing official approval rather than simple purchase rules
over the counter
vsunprescribed
  • Specialized
11 2.7

Medicine you can buy without a doctor's prescription

concerns lack of formal approval or recommendation, not sales method
nonprescribed
vsunprescribed
1 6.8

Not officially approved by a doctor

is the general idea of lacking official approval or recommendation
unendorsed
vsunprescribed
6.0

Not officially approved by an authority or group

is specifically about missing official order or medical permission
nonprescription
vsunprescribed
3.8

A medicine you can buy without seeing a doctor

is about absence of official approval rather than sales availability
OTC
vsunprescribed
  • Specialized
3.9

Medicines you can buy without a doctor's prescription

focuses on lacking formal approval or recommendation by authorities

Antonyms

authorized
1 3.6

Having official permission to do something

prescribed
  • Formal
4.4

An official rule or authority sets what must be done

How Prescribed

prescribed
  • Formal
4.4
authorized
1 3.6
unprescribed
  • Specialized
1 7.7
unauthorized
  • US
110 4.5

Surface Forms

unprescribed positive

Morphology

unprescribed = prescribed (transparent) = un + prescribe + ed

A straightforward negative prefix 'un-' added to the adjective 'prescribed' yields 'not prescribed', so the meaning is directly inferable.

Etymology

Unprescribed is made of un- 'not' and prescribe, which means 'to write an order', as in a prescription a doctor writes. So unprescribed describes something not officially ordered or approved, like medicine a doctor did not prescribe, an unplanned stop, or an unexpected remark.