dose

1 of 2

noun

ˈdōs 

1

a

: the measured quantity of a therapeutic agent to be taken at one time

b

: the quantity of radiation administered or absorbed

2

: a portion of a substance added during a process

3

: an amount of something likened to a prescribed or measured quantity of medicine

a daily dose of hard work

a dose of scandal

4

: a gonorrheal infection

dose

2 of 2

verb

dosed; dosing

transitive verb

1

: to give a dose to

especially : to give medicine to

2

: to divide into doses

dose a medicine

3

: to treat with an application or agent

Examples of dose in a Sentence

Noun

I've been taking the same dose for five years.

a large dose of vitamin C

The drug is lethal even in small doses.

a large dose of sugar

a high dose of radiation

Her parents hoped a daily dose of hard work would keep her out of trouble.

He needs a good dose of reality.

Verb

Most patients are dosed at 50 milligrams per day.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In high doses, etizolam can cause severe central nervous system depression, potentially leading to unconsciousness, respiratory failure and death. —Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 30 Jan. 2026

Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter. —Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Jan. 2026

Verb

Knowing how long vitamin D stays in your system can help guide supplement dosing and lab monitoring. —T'keyah Bazin, Verywell Health, 27 Jan. 2026

But this vulnerability is the reason that opioid dosing in newborns is so carefully calibrated and closely monitored in clinical settings—where the amounts administered directly are still orders of magnitude greater than what is transferred through breast milk. —Ben Taub, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Middle French, from Late Latin dosis, from Greek, literally, act of giving, from didonai to give — more at date

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1654, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing dose

• a taste/dose of someone's own medicine
• booster dose

Rhymes for dose

• gros
• rowse
• adios
• adipose
• amylose
• bellicose
• cellulose
• centavos
• comatose
• diagnose
• grandiose
• granulose

Kids Definition

dose

1 of 2 noun

ˈdōs 

1

a

: the measured amount of a medicine to be taken at one time

b

: the quantity of radiation given or absorbed

2

: a portion of a substance added during a process

3

: an experience to which one is exposed

a dose of hard work

dose

2 of 2 verb

dosed; dosing

1

: to give medicine to

2

: to treat with something

Medical Definition

dose

1 of 2 noun

ˈdōs 

1

a

: the measured quantity of a therapeutic agent to be taken at one time

b

: the quantity of radiation administered or absorbed

2

: a gonorrheal infection

dose

2 of 2 verb

dosed; dosing

transitive verb

1

: to divide (as a medicine) into doses

2

: to give a dose to

especially : to give medicine to

3

: to treat with an application or agent

intransitive verb

: to take medicine

he is forever dosing but he gets worse