Latin terms and abbreviations
Introduction
Prescriptions written in the UK should be written in English and the use of Latin is strongly discouraged. However, the use of some Latin terms persists and abbreviations are often used, especially to indicate the frequency of dosing. Abbreviations may have different meanings in different countries. Great care is required to avoid errors arising through misunderstanding.
The following lists include terms which may be encountered in current practice. For more comprehensive lists, see previous editions of this book, Carter (1975) and the Pharmaceutical Handbook (Wade 1980).
Dosage forms
| Latin name | Abbreviation | English name |
| Auristillae | aurist. | ear drops |
| Capsula | caps. | capsule |
| Cataplasma | cataplasm. | poultice |
| Collunarium | collun. | nosewash |
| Collutorium | collut. | mouthwash |
| Collyrium | collyr. | eye lotion |
| Cremor | crem. | cream |
| Guttae | gtt. | drops |
| Haustus | ht. | draught |
| Liquor | liq. | solution |
| Lotio | lot. | lotion |
| Mistura | mist. | mixture |
| Naristillae | narist. | nose drops |
| Nebula | neb. | spray solution |
| Oculentum | oculent. | eye ointment |
| Pasta | past. | paste |
| Pigmentum | pig. | paint |
| Pulvis | pulv. | powder |
| Pulvis conspersus | pulv. consp. | dusting powder |
| Trochiscus | troch. | lozenge |
| Unguentum | ung. | ointment |
| Vapor | vap. | inhalation |
| Vitrella | vitrell. | glass capsule (crushable) |
Terms used in prescriptions
| Latin | Abbreviation | English name |
| ante cibum | a.c. | before food |
| ante meridiem | a.m. | before noon |
| Ana | aa. | of each |
| Ad | ad | to |
| ad libitum | ad lib. | as much as desired |
| Alternus | alt. | alternate |
| Ante | ante | before |
| applicandus | applic. | apply |
| aqua | aq. | water |
| bis | b. | twice |
| bis die | b.d. | twice daily |
| bis in die | b.i.d. | twice daily |
| calidus | calid. | warm |
| cibus | cib. | food |
| compositus | co. | compound |
| concentratus | conc. | concentrated |
| cum | c. | with |
| dies | d. | a day |
| destillatus | dest. | distilled |
| dilutus | dil. | diluted |
| duplex | dup. | double |
| ex aqua | ex aq. | in water |
| fiat | ft. | let it be made |
| fortis | fort. | strong |
| hora | h. | at the hour of |
| hora somni | h.s. | at bedtime |
| inter cibos | i.c. | between meals |
| inter | int. | between |
| mane | m. | in the morning |
| more dicto | m.d. | as directed |
| more dicto utendus | m.d.u. | to be used as directed |
| mitte | mitt. | send |
| nocte | n. | at night |
| nocte et mane | n. et m. | night and morning |
| nocte maneque | n.m. | night and morning |
| nomen proprium | n.p. | the proper name |
| nocte | noct. | at night |
| omnibus alternis horis | o.alt.hor | every other hour |
| omni die | o.d. | every day |
| omni mane | o.m. | every morning |
| omni nocte | o.n. | every night |
| parti affectae | p.a. | to the affected part |
| parti affectae applicandus | part. affect. | apply to the affected part |
| partes aequales | p.aeq. | equal parts |
| post cibum | p.c. | after food |
| post meridiem | p.m. | afternoon |
| partes | pp. | parts |
| pro re nata | p.r.n. | when required |
| parti dolente | part. dolent. | to the painful part |
| quarter die | q.d. | four times daily |
| quarter die sumendus | q.d.s. | take four times daily |
| quarter in die | q.i.d. | four times daily |
| quaque | qq. | every |
| quaque hora | qq.h. | every hour |
| quarta quaque hora | q.qq.h. | every fourth hour |
| q.q.h. | every fourth hour | |
| quantum sufficiat | q.s. | sufficient |
| recipe | Rx | take |
| secundum artem | sec. art. | with pharmaceutical skill |
| semisse | ss. | half |
| si opus sit | s.o.s. | if necessary |
| signa | sig. | label |
| statim | stat. | immediately |
| sumendus ter | sum. t. | take thrice |
| ter de die | t.d.d. | three times daily |
| ter die sumendus | t.d.s. | take three times daily |
| ter in die | t.i.d. | three times daily |
| Tussis | tuss. | a cough |
| tussi urgente | tuss. urg. | when the cough troubles |
| ut antea | u.a. | as before |
| ut dictum | ut. dict. | as directed |
| ut directum | ut. direct. | as directed |
| Utendus | utend. | to be used |
