Abbreviation From the Latin Meaning
Abbreviation
|
From the Latin
|
Meaning
|
aa
|
ana
|
of each
|
ad
|
ad
|
up to
|
a.c.
|
ante cibum
|
before meals
|
a.d.
|
aurio dextra
|
right ear
|
ad lib.
|
ad libitum
|
use as much as one desires; freely
|
admov.
|
admove
|
apply
|
agit
|
agita
|
stir/shake
|
alt. h.
|
alternis horis
|
every other hour
|
a.m.
|
ante meridiem
|
morning, before noon
|
amp
|
ampule
| |
amt
|
amount
| |
aq
|
aqua
|
water
|
a.l., a.s.
|
aurio laeva, aurio sinister
|
left ear
|
A.T.C.
|
around the clock
| |
a.u.
|
auris utrae
|
both ears
|
bis
|
bis
|
twice
|
b.i.d.
|
bis in die
|
twice daily
|
B.M.
|
bowel movement
| |
bol.
|
bolus
|
as a large single dose (usually intravenously)
|
B.S.
|
blood sugar
| |
B.S.A
|
body surface areas
| |
cap., caps.
|
capsula
|
capsule
|
c
|
cum
|
with (usually written with a bar on top of the "c")
|
c
|
cibos
|
food
|
cc
|
cum cibos
|
with food, (but also cubic centimetre)
|
cf
|
with food
| |
comp.
|
compound
| |
cr., crm
|
cream
| |
D5W
|
dextrose 5% solution (sometimes written as D5W)
| |
D5NS
|
dextrose 5% in normal saline (0.9%)
| |
D.A.W.
|
dispense as written
| |
dc, D/C, disc
|
discontinue
| |
dieb. alt.
|
diebus alternis
|
every other day
|
dil.
|
dilute
|
disp.
|
dispense
| |
div.
|
divide
| |
d.t.d.
|
dentur tales doses
|
give of such doses
|
D.W.
|
distilled water
| |
elix.
|
elixir
| |
e.m.p.
|
ex modo prescripto
|
as directed
|
emuls.
|
emulsum
|
emulsion
|
et
|
et
|
and
|
ex aq
|
ex aqua
|
in water
|
fl., fld.
|
fluid
| |
ft.
|
fiat
|
make; let it be made
|
g
|
gram
| |
gr
|
grain
| |
gtt(s)
|
gutta(e)
|
drop(s)
|
H
|
hypodermic
| |
h, hr
|
hora
|
hour
|
h.s.
|
hora somni
|
at bedtime
|
ID
|
intradermal
| |
IM
|
intramuscular (with respect to injections)
| |
inj.
|
injectio
|
injection
|
IP
|
intraperitoneal
| |
IV
|
intravenous
| |
IVP
|
intravenous push
| |
IVPB
|
intravenous piggyback
| |
L.A.S.
|
label as such
| |
LCD
|
coal tar solution
| |
lin
|
linimentum
|
liniment
|
liq
|
liquor
|
solution
|
lot.
|
lotion
| |
M.
|
misce
|
mix
|
m, min
|
minimum
|
a minimum
|
mcg
|
microgram
| |
mEq
|
milliequivalent
| |
mg
|
milligram
| |
mist.
|
mistura
|
mix
|
mitte
|
mitte
|
send
|
mL
|
millilitre
| |
nebul
|
nebula
|
a spray
|
N.M.T.
|
not more than
| |
noct.
|
nocte
|
at night
|
non rep.
|
non repetatur
|
no repeats
|
NS
|
normal saline (0.9%)
| |
1/2NS
|
half normal saline (0.45%)
| |
N.T.E.
|
not to exceed
| |
o_2
|
both eyes, sometimes written as o2
| |
o.d.
|
oculus dexter
|
right eye
|
o.s.
|
oculus sinister
|
left eye
|
o.u.
|
oculus uterque
|
both eyes
|
oz
|
ounce
| |
per
|
per
|
by or through
|
p.c.
|
post cibum
|
after meals
|
p.m.
|
post meridiem
|
evening or afternoon
|
prn
|
pro re nata
|
as needed
|
p.o.
|
per os
|
by mouth or orally
|
p.r.
|
by rectum
| |
pulv.
|
pulvis
|
powder
|
q
|
quaque
|
every
|
q.a.d.
|
quoque alternis die
|
every other day
|
q.a.m.
|
quaque die ante meridiem
|
every day before noon
|
q.h.
|
quaque hora
|
every hour
|
q.h.s.
|
quaque hora somni
|
every night at bedtime
|
q.1h
|
quaque 1 hora
|
every 1 hour; (can replace "1" with other numbers)
|
q.d.
|
quaque die
|
every day
|
q.i.d.
|
quater in die
|
four times a day
|
q.o.d.
|
every other day
| |
qqh
|
quater quaque hora
|
every four hours
|
q.s.
|
quantum sufficiat
|
a sufficient quantity
|
R
|
rectal
| |
rep., rept.
|
repetatur
|
repeats
|
RL, R/L
|
Ringer's lactate
| |
s
|
sine
|
without (usually written with a bar on top of the
"s")
|
s.a.
|
secundum artum
|
use your judgement
|
SC, subc, subq, subcut
|
subcutaneous
| |
sig
|
write on label
| |
SL
|
sublingually, under the tongue
| |
sol
|
solutio
|
solution
|
s.o.s., si op. sit
|
si opus sit
|
if there is a need
|
ss
|
semis
|
one half
|
stat
|
statim
|
immediately
|
supp
|
suppositorium
|
suppository
|
susp
|
suspension
| |
syr
|
syrupus
|
syrup
|
tab
|
tabella
|
tablet
|
tal., t
|
talus
|
such
|
tbsp
|
tablespoon
| |
troche
|
trochiscus
|
lozenge
|
tsp
|
teaspoon
| |
t.i.d.
|
ter in die
|
three times a day
|
t.d.s.
|
ter die sumendum
|
three times a day
|
t.i.w.
|
three times a week
| |
top.
|
topical
| |
T.P.N.
|
total parenteral nutrition
| |
tr, tinc., tinct.
|
tincture
| |
u.d., ut. dict.
|
ut dictum
|
as directed
|
ung.
|
unguentum
|
ointment
|
U.S.P.
|
United States Pharmacopoeia
| |
vag
|
vaginally
| |
w
|
with
| |
w/o
|
without
| |
X
|
times
| |
Y.O.
|
years old
|
