Reference: Pharmaceutical Practice, 5th edition.

Appendix 3:
Latin terms and abbreviations

Introduction Latin name Abbreviation English name

Prescriptions written in the UK should be written Liquor liq. solution
in English and the use of Latin is strongly discour- Lotio lot. lotion
aged. However, the use of some Latin terms per-
Mistura mist. mixture
sists and abbreviations are often used, especially
to indicate the frequency of dosing. Abbreviations Naristillae narist. nose drops
may have different meanings in different coun-
Nebula neb. spray solution
tries. Great care is required to avoid errors arising
through misunderstanding. Oculentum oculent. eye ointment
The following lists include terms which may be Pasta past. paste
encountered in current practice. For more com-
prehensive lists, see previous editions of this book, Pigmentum pig. paint
Carter (1975) and the Pharmaceutical Handbook Pulvis pulv. powder
(Wade 1980).
Pulvis conspersus pulv. consp. dusting powder
Trochiscus troch. lozenge
Dosage forms Unguentum ung. ointment
Vapor vap. inhalation
Latin name Abbreviation English name
Vitrella vitrell. glass capsule
Auristillae aurist. ear drops (crushable)
Capsula caps. capsule
Cataplasma cataplasm. poultice Terms used in prescriptions
Collunarium collun. nosewash
Collutorium collut. mouthwash Latin Abbreviation English name
Collyrium collyr. eye lotion ante cibum a.c. before food

Cremor crem. cream ante meridiem a.m. before noon

Guttae gtt. drops Ana aa. of each

Haustus ht. draught Ad ad to

APPENDICES Appendices

Latin Abbreviation English name Latin Abbreviation English name

ad libitum ad lib. as much as omnibus alternis o.alt.hor every other hour
desired horis
Alternus alt. alternate omni die o.d. every day
Ante ante before omni mane o.m. every morning
applicandus applic. apply omni nocte o.n. every night
aqua aq. water parti affectae p.a. to the affected
bis b. twice part

bis die b.d. twice daily parti affectae part. affect. apply to the
applicandus affected part
bis in die b.i.d. twice daily
partes aequales p.aeq. equal parts
calidus calid. warm
post cibum p.c. after food
cibus cib. food
post meridiem p.m. afternoon
compositus co. compound
partes pp. parts
concentratus conc. concentrated
pro re nata p.r.n. when required
cum c. with
parti dolente part. dolent. to the painful part
dies d. a day
quarter die q.d. four times daily
destillatus dest. distilled
quarter die q.d.s. take four times
dilutus dil. diluted sumendus daily
duplex dup. double quarter in die q.i.d. four times daily
ex aqua ex aq. in water quaque qq. every
fiat ft. let it be made quaque hora qq.h. every hour
fortis fort. strong quarta quaque q.qq.h. every fourth hour
hora
hora h. at the hour of
q.q.h. every fourth hour
hora somni h.s. at bedtime
quantum sufficiat q.s. sufficient
inter cibos i.c. between meals
recipe Rx take
inter int. between
secundum artem sec. art. with
mane m. in the morning
pharmaceutical
more dicto m.d. as directed skill
more dicto m.d.u. to be used as semisse ss. half
utendus directed
si opus sit s.o.s. if necessary
mitte mitt. send
signa sig. label
nocte n. at night
statim stat. immediately
nocte et mane n. et m. night and morning
sumendus ter sum. t. take thrice
nocte maneque n.m. night and morning
ter de die t.d.d. three times daily
nomen proprium n.p. the proper name
ter die sumendus t.d.s. take three times
nocte noct. at night daily

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 Latin terms and abbreviations APPENDIX 3

Latin Abbreviation English name

ter in die t.i.d. three times daily
Tussis tuss. a cough
tussi urgente tuss. urg. when the cough
troubles
ut antea u.a. as before
ut dictum ut. dict. as directed
ut directum ut. direct. as directed
Utendus utend. to be used

Table A3.1 Roman numerals: Roman symbol and corresponding Latin names for the cardinal and ordinal numbers
and their adverbs

Arabic number Roman symbol Cardinals Ordinals Adverbs

1 I unus primus, -a, -um semel (once)
2 II duo secundus or alter bis (twice)
3 III tres, tria(n.) tertius ter (three times)
4 IV quattuor quartus quater (four times)
5 V quinque quintus quinquies
6 VI sex sextus sexies
7 VII septem septimus septies
8 VIII octo octavus octies
9 IX novem nonus novies
10 X decem decimus decies
11 XI undecim undecimus undecies
12 XII duodecim duodecimus duodecies
14 XIV quattuordecim quartis decimus quattuordecies
15 XV quindecim quintus decimus quindecies
20 XX viginti vicesimus vicies
50 L quinquaginta quinquagesimus quinquagies
100 C centum centesimus centies

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