English Explanatory Dictionary

prescribe

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To order (a drug or medical device) for use by a particular patient (under licensed authority).
  2. To specify by writing as a required procedure or ritual; to lay down authoritatively as a guide, direction, or rule of action.
  3. To develop or assert a right; to make a claim (by prescription).
  4. To become invalidated or unenforceable by prescription, to lapse

Pronunciation

/pɹɪˈskɹaɪb/ /pɹəˈskɹaɪb/ /pɝˈskɹaɪb/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-prescribe.wav /ˌpɹiːˈskɹaɪb/

Word forms

prescribe prescribes prescribing prescribed præscribe

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *per- Proto-Indo-European *preh₂- Proto-Indo-European *-i Proto-Indo-European *préh₂i? Proto-Italic *prai Proto-Italic *prai- Latin prae- Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker-? Proto-Indo-European *(s)kreybʰ- Proto-Indo-European *(s)kréybʰeti Proto-Italic *skreiβō Latin scrībō Latin praescrībōbor. English prescribe Borrowed from Latin praescrībere, from prae- (“before, in front”) and scrībere (“to write”).

Antonyms

proscribe

Related words

prescription prescriptionist prescriptive prescriptivism prescriptivist

Derived words

coprescribe deprescribe misprescribe nonprescribing overprescribe prescribable prescribee prescriber represcribe underprescribe unprescribe
This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.
Back to search All on P Russian dictionary Dahl dictionary