I f you need to text your partner to ask them to pick up a prescription on the way home from work, you might type, "Can you pick up my Rx?" Despite the letter "X" appearing nowhere in the word "prescription," this has been a commonly used abbreviation since the 1920s. As with many linguistic questions, there's not a definitive origin story, but there are two theories, both going back to ancient times, with the advent of preparing and dispensing drugs associated with healing powers.
One theory: "X" is from the symbol for Horus, the ancient Egyptian god of healing, among other things. During a battle, Horus' evil uncle, Seth, plucked out Horus' left eye, tearing it apart. Thoth, the Egyptian god of magic, pieced it back together, added a little magic, and brought Horus' father, Osiris, back to life. And so the symbol of Horus ensures good health, warding off sickness. |
No comments:
Post a Comment