Table 1. Latin Abbreviations Partial List of Prescription Abbreviations Abbreviation Latin Meaning
Table 1. Latin Abbreviations Partial List of Prescription Abbreviations Abbreviation Latin Meaning
Table 1. Latin Abbreviations Partial List of Prescription Abbreviations Abbreviation Latin Meaning
Latin abbreviations
Partial list of prescription abbreviations
Abbreviation Latin Meaning
aa ana of each
ad ad to,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; at pleasure
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
aurio laeva, aurio
a.l., a.s. left ear
sinister
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
BUCC inside cheek
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
collyr collyrium eye lotion
comp. compound
cr., crm cream
cum aq cum aqua with water
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
Liquid Measure
Approximate Approximate
Metric Apothecary Metric Apothecary
Equivalents Equivalents
1000 ml 1 quart 3 ml 45 minims
750 ml 1-1/2 pints 2 ml 30 minims
500 ml 1 pint 1 ml 15 minims
250 ml 8 fluid ounces 0.75 ml 12 minims
200 ml 7 fluid ounces 0.6 ml 10 minims
100 ml 3-1/2 fluid ounces 0.5 ml 8 minims
50 ml 1-3/4 fluid ounces 0.3 ml 5 minims
30 ml 1 fluid ounce 0.25 ml 4 minims
15 ml 4 fluid drams 0.2 ml 3 minims
10 ml 2-1/2 fluid drams 0.1 ml 1-1/2 minims
8 ml 2 fluid drams 0.06 ml 1 minims
5 ml 1-1/4 fluid drams 0.05 ml 3/4 minims
4 ml 1 fluid dram 0.03 ml 1/2 minims
Weight
Approximate Approximate
Weight Apothecary Metric Apothecary
Equivalents Equivalents
30 Gm 1 ounce 30 mg 1/2 grain
15 Gm 4 drams 25 mg 3/8 grain
10 Gm 2-1/2 drams 20 mg 1/3 grain
7.5 Gm 2 drams 15 mg 1/4 grain
6 Gm 90 grains 12 mg 1/5 grain
5 Gm 75 grains 10 mg 1/6 grain
4 Gm 60 grains (1 dram) 8 mg 1/8 grain
3 Gm 45 grains 6 mg 1/10 grain
2 Gm 30 grains (1/2 dram) 5 mg 1/12 grain
1.5 Gm 22 grains 4 mg 1/15 grain
1 Gm 15 grains 3 mg 1/20 grain
0.75 Gm 12 grains 2 mg 1/30 grain
0.6 Gm 10 grains 1.5 mg 1/40 grain
Weight Cont’
Approximate Approximate
Weight Apothecary Metric Apothecary
Equivalents Equivalents
0.5 Gm 7-1/2 grains 1.2 mg 1/50 grain
0.4 Gm 6 grains 1 mg 1/60 grain
0.3 Gm 5 grains 0.8 mg 1/80 grain
0.25 Gm 4 grains 0.6 mg 1/100 grain
0.2 Gm 3 grains 0.5 mg 1/120 grain
0.15 Gm 2-1/2 grains 0.4 mg 1/150 grain
0.12 Gm 2 grains 0.3 mg 1/200 grain
0.1 Gm 1-1/2 grains 0.25 mg 1/250 grain
75 1-1/4 grains 0.2 mg 1/300 grain
60 mg 1 grain 0.15 mg 1/400 grain
50 mg 3/4 grain 0.12 mg 1/500 grain
40 mg 2/3 grain 0.1 mg 1/600 grain