What does Rx mean on a pill bottle?

Asked by: Mckenna Bailey  |  Last update: January 22, 2026
Score: 4.2/5 (48 votes)

Rx is commonly known to most as the symbol for a medical prescription. However, the symbol is derived from the Latin word recipe or “recipere,”which means to take. The word was later abbreviated and became Rx as we know it today.

What does the Rx number mean on a pill bottle?

Your prescription number (RX#) Number assigned to this specific prescription fill. This is the easiest way to identify the prescription for renewals to your pharmacy.

What is Rx in a tablet?

Rx: A medical prescription. The symbol "Rx" is usually said to stand for the Latin word "recipe" meaning "to take." It is customarily part of the superscription (heading) of a prescription.

What does Rx mean on a product?

This is short for the word prescription. Doctors use prescriptions to tell pharmacists (the people who prepare medicines in drugstores and hospitals) what medicine to give you. When you pick up your medicine at the store, the label will say how much you should take and how often you should take it.

Does Rx mean refill?

This is the number you'll call to place the refill. Prescription number. This number is often shown as "Rx#" on the label. Although a pharmacist can look up your prescription in the computer, the refill process will go a lot faster if you have this number handy as it is the short code for your prescription.

Safe Rx Locking Pill Bottle: Mini Safe

28 related questions found

What does RX only stand for?

What is the meaning of Rx only? Rx stands for 'Medical Prescription'. It is also used as ℞ in most of the doctors' prescription pads.

What are Rx pills used for?

Prescription drugs are substances formally authorized to be used for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of a disease, condition or injury.

What is Rx equal to?

Did you know? The "R" in "Rx" stands for the Latin word recipe, meaning "take," and the first doctor to use "Rx" used it as a verb with the same meaning, "Rx two aspirin" being equivalent to today's "Take two aspirin." (The word recipe had had the same function from the 13th through the 17th centuries.)

What is an Rx product?

Rx Product means a pharmaceutical product for use in humans that has been approved by the FDA for sale to customers and/or patients in the Territory with a prescription written by a Professional.

How to read a pill bottle?

What to look for on a prescription medication label
  1. Patient name: This is your name or the name of the person the medication is prescribed to.
  2. Medication name: This may be either the generic name or the brand and generic names.
  3. Medication strength: This is how strong each pill or tablet is.

What is the pharmaceutical Rx symbol?

According to most sources, Rx is derived from the Latin word “recipe,” meaning “take.” Among several alternative theories, however, is the belief that the Rx symbol evolved from the Eye of Horus, an ancient Egyptian symbol associated with healing powers.

What does the original Rx date mean?

'ORG' on your prescription label, which is also sometimes abbreviated as 'ORIG', stands for 'Original'. It often signifies: The date which the prescription was written by your practitioner.

What does Rx number mean?

Your prescription number is a unique number that's assigned to each prescription you fill at a pharmacy. It's printed on the pharmacy label that's attached to your medication bottle, and may be indicated with an “Rx” or a “No” before the number itself.

What is the meaning of Rx in chemistry?

Haloalkane or alkyl halides are the compounds which have the general formula "RX" where R is an alkyl or substituted alkyl group and X is a halogen (F, Cl, Br, I).

Does Rx mean over the counter?

This blog was updated on June 4, 2020. There are two general classifications of drugs: prescription only (Rx only) and over-the-counter (OTC).

What does the Rx value stand for?

A prescription, often abbreviated ℞ or Rx, is a formal communication from physicians or other registered healthcare professionals to a pharmacist, authorizing them to dispense a specific prescription drug for a specific patient.

What is Rx vs non Rx?

Rx drugs can only be obtained through a prescription from a physician or other licensed medical professional, such as a nurse practitioner or physician assistant. These medications are typically stronger than OTC drugs, and can only be used by the intended person to treat a specific medical diagnosis.

What does the Rx mean on a tablet?

Rx is commonly known to most as the symbol for a medical prescription. However, the symbol is derived from the Latin word recipe or “recipere,”which means to take. The word was later abbreviated and became Rx as we know it today.

How long do Rx pills last?

The expiration date of a drug is estimated using stability testing under good manufacturing practices as determined by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Drug products marketed in the US typically have an expiration date that extends from 12 to 60 months from the time of manufacturer.

Why do pharmacies say Rx?

“RX” IS AN ABBREVIATION for the Latin word “recipe,” but today it means “prescription.” Years ago, many pharmacy terms and abbreviations came from Latin because the first medical texts were written in that language.

Why are they called Rx?

The "Rx" symbol was used as an abbreviation for "recipe" and was commonly placed at the beginning of a prescription to instruct the pharmacist or patient to take certain ingredients or medicines. Over time, the "Rx" symbol evolved from the Latin "recipe" abbreviation.

What are the different types of Rx?

Types of Prescriptions Explained
  • Repeat Prescriptions. Repeat prescriptions is for medication you take for long term such as tablets. ...
  • Variable Use Prescriptions. ...
  • Acute Prescriptions. ...
  • Dosette Boxes or Nomads. ...
  • Controlled Drugs. ...
  • Surgical Appliances and Devices. ...
  • Electronic Prescribing/EPS. ...
  • Nominated Chemist.

What does Rx mean in texting?

Rx is often used as shorthand for a very common word - Prescription!