Latin Terms and Common Abbreviations


Latin Term Common Abbreviation Translation
a...      
  ad ad to, up to
    ad lib. at pleasure
  adde add add (thou)
  agita agit shake, stir
  alternis horis alt. h. every other hour
  ana a.a. or aa of each
  ante a. before
  ante cibum a.c. before food, before meals
  ante meridien a.m. morning
    amp. ampule
  aqua aq. water
  aqua ad aq. ad. water up to
    ag. dest; aqua dist. distilled water
  auris aur.; a ear
  auris dexter a.d. right ear
  aurix laevus a.l. left ear
  auris sinister a.s. left ear
  auris utro a.u. each ear
  auristillae aurist ear-drops
    a.t.c. around the clock
b...      
  bis b. twice
  bis in die b.i.d. twice a day
  brachium brach. the arm
    BSA body surface area
c...      
  capsula caps a capsule
    c.c. cubic centimeter
  chartulae charts powder papers; divided powders
  cibus cib.; c. food
  collunarium collun a nose wash
  collutorium collut. a mouthwash
  collyrium collyr. an eyewash
  compositus comp. compound
  congius cong.; C. gallon
  cum c or c. with
  cum cibus c.c. with food; with meals
d...      
  dentur d. give (thou); let be given
  dentur tales doses d.t.d. give of such doses
  dexter d. right
  diebus alternis dieb. alt. every other day
  dilutus dil. dilute, diluted
    disp. dispense
    div. divide
    DW distilled water
e...      
    elix. elixir
  emulsum emuls. emulsion
  et et and
  ex modo prescripto e.m.p. in the manner prescribed; as directed
f...      
  fac, fiat, fiant f.; ft. let it be made; make
    f.; fl. fluid
g...      
    g.; G.; gm. gram
  granum gr. grain
  guttae gtt. a drop
h...      
  hora h at the hour of
  hora somni h.s. at bedtime
i...      
    i.m. intramuscular
  injectio inj. injection
    i.v.; IV intravenous
    i.v.p.; IVP intravenous push
    IVPB intravenous piggyback
j...      
       
k...      
       
l...      
  laevus l. left
  linimentum lin. liniment
  liquor liq. a solution
    lot. lotion
m...      
  minimum min; Mx minim
  misce m.; M mix
    mcg. microgram
    mEq. milliequivalent
    mg. milligram
    ml. milliliter
n...      
  nocte n. at night
  naristillae narist. nasal drops
  nebule neb. a spray
    N.F. National Formulary
  non repetatur non.rep. do not repeat
    NS normal saline
o...      
  octarius O. pint
  oculentum occulent. eye ointment
  oculus o. eye
  oculus dexter o.d. right eye
  oculus laevus o.l. left eye
  oculus sinister o.s. left eye
  oculus utro o.u. both eyes, each eye
  omni mane o.m. every morning
p...      
  parti affectae applicandus p.a.a. to be applied to affected part
  per os p.o. by mouth
  post cibum p.c. after meals
    p.r. per rectum
  pro re nata p.r.n. as needed
  pulvis pulv. powder
q...      
  quater in die q.i.d. four times a day
  quaque q. each, every
  quaque die q.d. every day
  quaque hora q.h. every hour
  quantum sufficiat q.s. a sufficient quantity
  quantum sufficiat ad q.s. ad a sufficient quantity to make
r...      
       
s...      
  secundum artem s.a. according to the art
    S.C.; subc; subq subcutaneously
  semis ss one-half
  signa Sig. write, label
  sine s without
  si opus sit s.o.s. if necessary
    sol. solution
  statim stat. immediately
  suppositorum supp. suppository
  syrupus syr. syrup
t...      
  tabella tab. tablet
    tbsp. tablespoonful
  ter in die t.i.d. three times a day
    tinc.; tr. tincture
  trochiscus troche lozenge
  tussis tuss. a cough
u...      
  ungentum ung. an ointment
  ut dictum ut dict.; u.d. as directed