prescribe

/pɹɪˈskɹaɪb/

//pɹɪˈskɹaɪb// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"prescribe" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“prescribe” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #17,449 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#17,449
frequency rank, English
9
letters
14
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To order (a drug or medical device) for use by a particular patient (under licensed authority).

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

prescribe vs prescribed
90% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for prescribe
PropertyValue
Headwordprescribe
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/pɹɪˈskɹaɪb/
Letters9
Frequency rank#17,449
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “prescribe” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). prescribe lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for prescribe is 9 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /pɹɪˈskɹaɪb/. Corpus data places it at rank #17,449 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for prescribe, with forms such as "perscribe", "pprescribe", and "precsribe". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "prescribed", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin praescrībere, from prae- (“before, in front”) and scrībere (“to write”). The correct English form is prescribe, spelled P-R-E-S-C-R-I-B-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To order (a drug or medical device) for use by a particular patient (under licensed authority).
  2. 2
    To specify by writing as a required procedure or ritual; to lay down authoritatively as a guide, direction, or rule of action.
  3. 3
    To develop or assert a right; to make a claim (by prescription).
  4. 4
    To become invalidated or unenforceable by prescription, to lapse

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin praescrībere, from prae- (“before, in front”) and scrībere (“to write”).

Antonyms

proscribe

This word in other languages

prescribir(Español)prescrire(Français)verschreiben(Deutsch)prescrever(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: perscribe,pprescribe,precsribe,presccribe,prescirbe,prescrbie,prescribbe,prescrieb,prescrribe,presrcibe,presscribe,prrescribe,prsecribe,rpescribe

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of prescribe - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

perscribe2pprescribe1precsribe2presccribe1prescirbe2prescrbie2prescribbe1prescrieb2
Edit distance from "prescribe"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "prescribe"?
"prescribe" is spelled P-R-E-S-C-R-I-B-E. The IPA pronunciation is /pɹɪˈskɹaɪb/.
What does "prescribe" mean?
As a verb, "prescribe" means: To order (a drug or medical device) for use by a particular patient (under licensed authority).
What words are commonly confused with "prescribe"?
"prescribe" is commonly confused with "prescribed". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "prescribe"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "prescribe" is /pɹɪˈskɹaɪb/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "prescribe"?
Borrowed from Latin praescrībere, from prae- (“before, in front”) and scrībere (“to write”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “prescribe”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is P-R-E-S-C-R-I-B-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /pɹɪˈskɹaɪb/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “prescribed” - see the side-by-side comparison. prescribe vs prescribed
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list