Medical Abbreviation List:

Medical Abbreviations/Medical Short-form

Abbreviation Meaning

  • aq. ––————water
  • a.c. – before meals
  • a.m. – before noon, morning
  • a. d. – right ear
  • a.s. , a.l. – left ear
  • a. u. – both ears
  • a. a. – of each
  • admov. – apply
  • agit. – stir / shake
  • b.i.d. – twice a day
  • B.S. – blood sugar
  • caps. – capsule
  • capiend. – to be taken
  • Chart. – powder
  • collut. – a mouth wash
  • collyr. – an eye wash
  • c – with
  • c c, c f – with food
  • crm – cream
  • div. – divide
  • D5W – dextrose 5% solution
  • D5NS – dextrose 5% in normal saline
  • dil – dilute
  • disp. – dispence
  • div. – divide
  • D.W. – distilled water
  • e. lact. – with milk
  • e.m.p. – as directed
  • emuls. – emulsion
  • ex. aq. – in water
  • fl.,fld. – fluid
  • g. – gram
  • gr. – grain
  • gtt. – drop
  • H. – hypodermic
  • hac noct. – to night
  • h. hr. – an hour
  • h. s. – at bed time
  • ID – Intradermal
  • IM – intramuscular
  • In. d. – daily
  • IP – intraperitoneal
  • IV – intravenous
  • IVP – intravenous push
  • i.c. – during meals
  • Inj. – injection
  • liq. – solution
  • lin. – liniment
  • lot. – lotion
  • mcg. – microgram
  • mg. – miligram
  • mist. – mix
  • mL. – milliliter
  • nebul. – a spray
  • N.M.T. – not to exceed
  • NS. – normal saline
  • o. u. – both eye
  • o. d. – right eye
  • o. l., o.s. – left eye
  • omn. – every
  • o. h. – every hour
  • o. n. – every night
  • o.s. – mouth
  • Oz – ounce
  • p.a.a. – to be applied to the affected part
  • p. c. – after meals
  • P.m. – evening or afternoon
  • p.p.a. – shake the bottle
  • p.r.n. – when necessary
  • P.o. – by mouth or orally
  • P.r. – bye rectum
  • Pulv. – powder
  • q – every
  • q.a.d. – every other day
  • q.a.m. – every day before noon
  • q.s. – a sufficient quantity
  • q.h. – every hour
  • q.h.s. – every night at bed time
  • q.q.h. – every fourth hour
  • q.d. – everyday
  • q.i.d. – four times a day
  • q.o.d. – every other day
  • Rx. – take
  • rep.,rept. – repeats
  • RL, R/L. – ringer’s lactate
  • s. – without
  • SC,subc. – subcutaneous
  • ss. – half
  • sig. – write on label
  • SL – sublingually, under the tongue
  • s.o.s. – when necessary
  • Supp – suppository
  • Susp – suspension
  • Syr. – syrup
  • tab – tablet
  • tbsp. – tablespoon
  • t.i.d. – three times a day
  • t. d. s. – three times a day
  • t.i.w. – three times a week
  • u.d. – as directed
  • ung. – ointment
  • U.S.P. – United States pharmacopeia
  • w. – with
  • X – times
  • Y. O. – years old.

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