View synonyms for

over the counter

adverb

not transacted through an organized securities exchange; directly to the buyer or from the seller.
He sold his stocks over the counter.
Pharmacology.��without a doctor's prescription but within the law.

over-the-counter

[oh-ver-thuh-koun-ter]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

unlisted on or not part of an organized securities exchange: OTC
over-the-counter stocks; the over-the-counter market.
Pharmacology.��sold legally without a doctor's prescription: OTC
over-the-counter drugs.

over-the-counter

adjective

1. (of securities) not listed or quoted on a stock exchange
2. (of a security market) dealing in such securities
3. (of security transactions) conducted through a broker's office directly between purchaser and seller and not on a stock exchange
OTC.��(of medicinal drugs) able to be sold without a prescription Compare ortho-

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Word History and Origins

Origin of over the counter¹

First recorded in 1870–75

Origin of over the counter²

First recorded in 1920–25

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

These products can all be bought over the counter in your local chemist.

From

"Buying a disposable vape is like buying a packet of cigarettes – just nip to the shop and get one over the counter."

From

Emma is the strategies director of Hatton Garden Metals, a family-run gold dealership in London's Hatton Garden jewellery district, and this unprepossessing tub of bric-a-brac is a small sample of what they buy over the counter each day.

From

However, refrigeration does have a big advantage over the counter: It lengthens the egg’s shelf life.

From

Emergency contraception is already free of charge from most GPs and sexual health clinics but ministers say getting it over the counter is more of a "postcode lottery".

From

over-the-air over the edge

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