NPO stands for which phrase?

• A. No intake of food or liquid by mouth
• B. Not permitted to swallow
• C. Nothing by mouth
• D. Nasogastric feed only

Answer: (C)

Nothing by mouth is what NPO means in medical practice. It’s the standard instruction used to prevent any food or drink from being taken by mouth, usually to protect the airway during anesthesia or certain procedures. The phrase Nothing by mouth is the conventional expansion of the acronym, coming from the Latin nil per os, and it directly matches how healthcare teams record and communicate the order. Other options either aren’t standard order language, are vague, or actually imply the opposite (feeding through a tube), so they don’t fit the intended meaning as well.