Rx
Medical abbreviation · Prescription
| Stands for | Recipe (take; prescription) |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
Rx stands for Recipe (take; prescription), a prescription abbreviation.
Symbol heading every prescription and, by extension, everyday shorthand for a prescription, a prescription drug or medical treatment in general. "Rx only" on a US label marks a drug that cannot legally be sold without a prescription.
Example: Bring your Rx and insurance card to the pharmacy counter.
Usage notes
Derived from the symbol for Latin "recipe", "take" (imperative of recipere), written as an R with a slash through its tail. A popular but unsupported story links it to the astrological sign of Jupiter. Related shorthand built on the same pattern includes Dx (diagnosis), Tx (treatment) and Hx (history). Pronounced as the letters "R-X".
Related abbreviations
More prescription abbreviations
- qn – Quaque nocte (every night)
- QOD – Quaque altera die (every other day)
- qPM – Every evening
- qty – Quantity
- qwk – Every week (once weekly)
- Rf – Refills
- s.o.s. – Si opus sit (if necessary)
- Sig – Signa (write, label)
- SS – Sliding scale
- SSI – Sliding scale insulin
- STAT – Statim (immediately)
- s̄ – Sine (without)
See all 77 prescription abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.