QID stands for Four times a day.
From the Latin: quater in die
What does QID mean?
QID stands for quater in die, a Latin phrase meaning four times a day. It is used on prescriptions to show how often a medicine should be taken.
QID stands for the Latin quater in die, which means four times a day. It is a dosing instruction written on prescriptions and drug charts to tell the patient or nurse to take a medicine four times during the day. It is sometimes written with full stops as q.i.d.
QID is one of a small group of Latin dosing abbreviations. The main ones are OD (once a day), BID or BD (twice a day), TID or TDS (three times a day), and QID or QDS (four times a day). Learning these as a set makes prescriptions easier to read.
Because some of these can be misread, many hospitals now encourage writing the frequency in plain words, but QID is still widely seen on charts and in exams.
When is QID used?
Used in prescriptions, drug charts, and pharmacy. QID tells staff to give or take a medicine four times a day. Also written as q.i.d. or QDS.
Frequently asked questions
What does QID mean?
QID means four times a day, from the Latin quater in die, used on prescriptions.
What does QID stand for in medical terms?
QID stands for four times a day.
Is QID the same as q.i.d.?
Yes. QID and q.i.d. are the same abbreviation, written with or without full stops.
What is the difference between BID, TID, and QID?
BID means twice a day, TID means three times a day, and QID means four times a day.
What does QID mean in pharmacy?
In pharmacy, QID tells staff to give the medicine four times a day.