prescribed

American  

[pri-skrahybd] / prɪˈskraɪbd /

adjective

1. dictated or indicated as a rule or course of action to be followed.

   To limit your definition of art to certain prescribed forms is to cut yourself off from the bulk of human existence.

2. Medicine/Medical. (of a medicine, treatment, etc.) recommended or ordered by a qualified practitioner.

   Test results for legal or prescribed drugs are returned in about two minutes.

---

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of prescribe.

Other Word Forms

• nonprescribed adjective
• self-prescribed adjective
• unprescribed adjective

Etymology

Origin of prescribed

prescribe ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

You find no prescribed paths at the Geffen Galleries.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

Instead of presenting an organized system of knowledge, whose stylistic or chronological categories suggested hierarchies, it would free visitors, a press release claims, “from prescribed paths to follow their own curiosity.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

Kayan, who is now 13, was already living with several complex medical conditions including chronic kidney disease, and the eight-week course of vitamin D prescribed by his GP was in line with recommendations.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

However, higher dosage Vitamin D, which is prescribed by doctors, is still classed as a food supplement and not regulated by the medicines regulator, the MHRA.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

Similarly, Marianne’s boyfriend lost his job as a roofer because he missed so much time after getting a cut on his foot for which he couldn’t afford the prescribed antibiotic.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich

Related Words

• arbitrary
• recommended