Retseptis

Retseptis is an Estonian noun form that functions as the inessive case of retsept, meaning “in a recipe” or “in a prescription.” The word is used to refer to information or items that are contained within a recipe or a medical prescription, depending on context.

The base word retsept has two primary senses. In everyday language, it often means a cooking recipe, including lists of ingredients and steps for preparation. In a medical context, retsept refers to a prescription issued by a health professional for obtaining medicines. Both senses are common in Estonian, and the intended meaning is usually clear from surrounding words.

Etymologically, retsept is a loanword that entered Estonian from European languages, most likely via German Rezept or French recette. The sense split between cooking and pharmacology developed over time, but the two usages remain distinct only by context rather than by a separate word.

Grammatically, retseptis is the inessive singular form used to indicate something located or described inside the recipe or prescription. For example, “Retseptis on koostisosad ja kogused” means the ingredients and quantities are listed in the recipe, while “Retseptis märgitakse ravimi nimi ja manustamisviis” refers to the medicine name and administration method in the prescription. In practice, the form retseptis helps distinguish where information resides, while the underlying noun retsept covers both major meanings.