In Latin medical shorthand, ac stands for which?

• A. With meals
• B. At meals
• C. Before meals
• D. After meals

Answer: (C)

In Latin medical shorthand, timing relative to meals is shown with Latin terms. ac stands for ante cibum, meaning before meals. This tells you the medication should be taken on an empty stomach, before eating, to optimize absorption or effectiveness. The counterpart post cibum (pc) means after meals. So why the other ideas don’t fit: “with meals” would use a form of cum cibum, not ac. “At meals” isn’t a standard prescription shorthand. Remember ante means before, post means after, which helps you quickly interpret timing cues in prescriptions.