non-prescription

IPA/ˌnɒn prɪˈskrɪpʃn/
KK[nˌɑnprəskrˈɪpʃən]IPA/ˌnɑːn prɪˈskrɪpʃn/

non-prescription — adjective

1. describes a medicine sold openly in shops and pharmacies, with no need for a wri

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes a medicine sold openly in shops and pharmacies, with no need for a written order from a doctor

Example

Yuki picked up some non-prescription pain pills at the corner pharmacy before her hike.

non-prescription + noun (pain pills) — typical attributive use

Most non-prescription cold remedies contain a small dose of paracetamol and a cough suppressant.

subject position: non-prescription + plural noun for general statements

Common collocations
  • non-prescription medicine
  • non-prescription drugs
  • non-prescription painkiller
  • non-prescription remedy
  • non-prescription sleep aid
Synonyms
  • over-the-counter

    near-synonymous; often abbreviated 'OTC'. Slightly more common in everyday speech.

  • OTC

    common abbreviation in pharmacy and medical writing; same meaning.

Antonyms
  • prescription

    describes a medicine that requires a doctor's written order (e.g. 'prescription drugs').

Grammar Patterns

non-prescription + noun

Usage Note

Almost always used attributively before a noun (medicine, drug, painkiller, remedy). Cannot follow 'be' — say 'this medicine is sold over the counter', not 'this medicine is non-prescription'.

Common Mistakes

This cough syrup is non-prescription.
This cough syrup is available without a prescription.
'non-prescription' is attributive only; use 'over-the-counter' or a paraphrase after 'be'.
I bought a non-prescription at the chemist.
I bought a non-prescription medicine at the chemist.
never used as a standalone noun; always modifies a noun.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All three terms describe medicines you can buy without a doctor's written order, but they differ in register and grammar. 'Over-the-counter' is the most common in everyday conversation and on product packaging; it works both attributively ('over-the-counter painkillers') and after 'be' ('these tablets are over-the-counter'). 'Non-prescription' is slightly more formal and almost always sits before the noun — pharmacists and government health sites prefer it in safety guidance. 'OTC' is the abbreviation, frequent in medical writing and pharmacy aisles. For learner output, use 'over-the-counter' in spoken contexts and 'non-prescription' in written health advice.

non-prescription ↗over-the-counter ↗OTC ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • available non-prescription
  • sold non-prescription

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishModern English

Formed by adding the prefix 'non-' (meaning 'not') to 'prescription' (a doctor's written order for medicine). 'Prescription' itself entered English in the 15th century from Latin 'praescriptio' — a writing down beforehand. The compound 'non-prescription' is much younger, appearing in mid-20th-century American English as pharmacies began separating self-service shelves from the dispensing counter.