Nonprescription

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to drugs or medications available without a doctor's approval; describing products obtainable freely without prescription; pertaining to remedies accessible directly over the counter
2. Referring to substances or treatments that can be purchased without medical authorization; indicating items sold without requirement of a formal prescription; concerning medicines that are openly accessible in pharmacies or stores
3. Characterizing pharmaceuticals or therapeutic goods provided without physician orders; denoting commodities distributed without the need for a prescription; connected with health products available for self-service purchase in retail settings

Etymology: "Nonprescription" is a plain modern compound: the prefix "non-" joined to "prescription." The prefix comes from the Old English "nān," meaning "not one," which is a descendant of the Proto-Germanic root *ne, "not," and the same negating element that appears across English words like "none" and "nor." The second part, "prescription," comes from Latin "praescriptio," a noun built on "praescribere," meaning "to write before," and its medical sense of a doctor's written order for medicine developed from that idea of a written directive. Put together, the word describes medicines that can be bought without that written order. It is a straightforward formation rather than a coinage with a famous originator, and the joining of "non-" to an existing noun is a common pattern in English, which is why the word needs no further explanation of its parts.

Synonyms: over-the-counter, OTC

Antonyms: prescription