over-the-counter

adjective

over-the-count·​er ˌō-vər-ṯẖə-ˈkau̇n-tər 

1

: not traded or effected on an organized securities exchange

over-the-counter transactions

over-the-counter securities

2

: sold lawfully without prescription

an over-the-counter pain reliever

Examples of over-the-counter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Between January and March, yellow metal demand (including over-the-counter dealing) rose 1% to 1,206 tonnes. —Royston Wild, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025

Treatment will include antibiotics and remedies to reduce throat pain, such as over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers and gargling with salt water.2 2. —Anju Goel, Verywell Health, 26 Apr. 2025

It’s got a USP seal and the only concentration of the ingredient that can be found in prescription and over-the-counter formulas, explains Dr. Gohara. —Kara Nesvig, Allure, 24 Apr. 2025

That led to a detective scoping out US Pawn’s Hollywood location and observing people bringing in bags full of over-the-counter products, health and beauty products and tools. —Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1921, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for over-the-counter

• counter
• encounter

Kids Definition

over-the-counter

adjective

: sold legally without a prescription

an over-the-counter pain reliever

Medical Definition

over-the-counter

adjective

: sold lawfully without prescription

an over-the-counter painkiller

Legal Definition

over-the-counter

adjective

over-the-count·​er

1

: not traded or effected on an organized securities exchange

over-the-counter transactions

over-the-counter securities

2

: sold lawfully without a prescription

over-the-counter drugs