In medical shorthand, Rx most commonly refers to which of the following?

• A. Prescription drug
• B. Prescription
• C. Response
• D. Medication order

Answer: (B)

Rx is the shorthand for prescription—the order that tells a pharmacist what medication to dispense and how the patient should take it. It comes from the Latin recipe, meaning “take this,” highlighting that Rx is the directive or document, not the drug itself. So it isn’t referring to a prescription drug, and it isn’t about a patient’s response. While some hospital contexts use terms like medication order, the common, widely understood meaning of Rx is the prescription. When you see Rx, read it as the prescription or prescription instruction.