over-the-counter

[oh-ver-th uh-koun-ter] /ˈoʊ vər ðəˈkaʊn tər/

adjective

unlisted on or not part of an organized securities exchange:

over-the-counter stocks; the over-the-counter market.

Abbreviation: OTC.

Pharmacology. sold legally without a doctor's prescription:

over-the-counter drugs.

Abbreviation: OTC.

Origin

1920-25

Examples from the web for over-the-counter

There are two over-the-counter antihistamines marketed as sleep aids.
He asked a pharmacist for advice, and an over-the-counter antibiotic ointment cleared it up.
It annoyed me to no end to discover my over-the-counter-drug-of-choice required me to register to purchase it.
Several contain ephedrine, the active ingredient in a widely advertised over-the-counter asthma remedy.
But the market for over-the-counter derivatives such as credit default swaps isn't as sophisticated.
It could be an overdose of a prescription drug or an over-the-counter medication.
The best way to treat them is with an over-the-counter topical cortisone cream, available at any pharmacy.
The tweets also revealed allergy patterns, cancer rates, self-medication behavior and over-the-counter drug misuse.
Some other poisons were easily found in many over-the-counter products in stores and pharmacies.
Many brands are available by prescription and over-the-counter.

British Dictionary definitions for over-the-counter

adjective

(of securities) not listed or quoted on a stock exchange
(of a security market) dealing in such securities
(of security transactions) conducted through a broker's office directly between purchaser and seller and not on a stock exchange

(of medicinal drugs) able to be sold without a prescription OTC Compare ortho- (sense 5)

over-the-counter in Medicine

over-the-counter o·ver-the-count·er (ō'vər-ðə-koun'tər)
adj.
Abbr. OTC
That can be sold legally without a doctor's prescription.