recepta

Recepta is a Catalan noun with two principal meanings. In culinary usage, a recepta is a set of instructions and ingredients for preparing a dish, i.e., a recipe. In healthcare, a recepta, or recepta mèdica, is a doctor’s order for medicines or treatment, which can be issued on paper or as a recepta electrònica in health systems that support electronic prescribing.

The word derives from Latin recepta, meaning things taken or received. It has cognates in several Romance languages, including receta in Spanish, ricetta in Italian, receita in Portuguese, and recette in French, all sharing a common root and similar senses.

In cooking, recepta refers to the written guide that outlines ingredients, quantities, and steps to make a dish. It appears in cookbooks, magazines, and home kitchens, and is central to sharing traditional and modern dishes alike.

In medicine, recepta denotes an authorization from a healthcare professional to obtain prescribed medicines or to follow a recommended treatment. Recepta electrònica or electronic prescriptions are increasingly common, enabling faster, safer dispensing at pharmacies and improved record-keeping.

Usage varies by region and context, but in Catalan-speaking areas it broadly covers both culinary and medical meanings. The term’s dual sense reflects the Latin root related to taking or receiving, linking instructions for meals with instructions for healing.

See also: receta, ricetta, recette, receita.