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” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #17,449. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#17,449
frequency rank, English
4,417
“P” headwords
14
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To order (a drug or medical device) for use by a particular patient (under licensed authority).

Corpus desk

Index EN-prescribe · prescribe · English

prescribe · rank #17,449 · 14 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #17,449
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,417
  • PHOTO-FINISH preface

Nearest frequency peer: preface (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “prescribe”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “prescribe” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

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)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “prescribe”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).prescribelands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “preface” (#17,448), “punitive” (#17,450), “predatory” (#17,447). Among 4,417 “P” headwords, “prescribe” is #17,449. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around prescribe (IPA /pɹɪˈskɹaɪb/), averb. Corpus frequency is #17,449 among 4,417 “P” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

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

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how prescribe appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The doctor prescribed aspirin.
  2. And most neurologists are in the habit of prescribing antispasticity drugs like tizanidine and baclofen, which are oral and inexpensive, but which cause drowsiness and weaken every muscle in the body, not just the target ones.

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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "prescribe", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

predatory#17,447pervasive#17,442oxidation#17,437misplaced#17,417

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

rhythmic14 variantssemantics14 variantsspherical14 variantshorseback14 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list