UD
Abbreviation with 4 meanings
| Stands for | Unit dose |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 4 |
| Categories | Medical, Education & Academia, Sports |
UD has four meanings. The most common are Unit dose (pharmacy) and University of Delaware (university); it can also stand for Unanimous decision and Ut dictum (as directed).
Meanings of UD at a glance
| # | UD stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unit dose | Medical › Pharmacy |
| 2 | University of Delaware | Education & Academia › University |
| 3 | Unanimous decision | Sports › Other Sports |
| 4 | Ut dictum (as directed) | Medical › Prescription |
1. Unit dose
Medical · Pharmacy Abbreviations
Packaging system in which each dose of a medicine is individually sealed and labeled with drug, strength, lot and barcode, ready to administer. Most US hospitals dispense oral solids in unit-dose blisters or pouches.
Example: Pharmacy repackaged the tablets into UD blisters with barcodes for the floor.
Unit-dose distribution spread in US hospitals in the 1960s and 1970s and greatly reduced dispensing errors compared with bulk ward stock. ISMP warns that "UD" handwritten in an order can mean "as directed" (ut dictum), so it should never be used in prescriptions.
2. University of Delaware
Education & Academia · University Abbreviations
Delaware's flagship public university, based in Newark, Delaware, which traces its origins to a free school founded in 1743. It launched the first US study-abroad program, in 1923, and its Blue Hens joined Conference USA in 2025.
Example: President Joe Biden graduated from UD in 1965.
The university is known for chemical engineering, marine science and its proximity to DuPont's historic research centers. UD also abbreviates the University of Dayton in Ohio. Locals pronounce Newark "NEW-ark", unlike the city in New Jersey.
3. Unanimous decision
Sports · Other Sports Abbreviations
Fight result in which all three judges score the bout for the same fighter after the scheduled rounds. Judges usually use the 10-point must system for each round.
Example: She won by UD, 99-91, 98-92, 97-93.
In the 10-point must system, the winner of a round gets 10 points and the loser 9 or fewer. Unanimous decisions are the clearest form of decision win. Fight records list them as W UD.
4. Ut dictum (as directed)
Medical · Prescription Abbreviations
Shorthand for "as directed" that ISMP includes on its list of error-prone abbreviations. In hospitals, UD more commonly means "unit dose", so an order for "diltiazem 125 mg IV infusion UD" was misread and the whole bag was given as a single dose.
Example: The script read "apply cream UD", so the pharmacist called to clarify where and how often.
ISMP's documented error involved a diltiazem infusion ordered "UD" being given as a bolus. Its recommended alternative is to write "as directed", although safety experts advise specifying the actual directions whenever possible. On medication labels, "UD" printed by a manufacturer almost always means unit-dose packaging.
Related abbreviations
More pharmacy abbreviations
- tab – Tablet
- TNA – Total nutrient admixture
- TPN – Total parenteral nutrition
- U&C – Usual and customary price
- ung – Unguentum (ointment)
- USP – United States Pharmacopeia
- WAC – Wholesale acquisition cost
- XL – Extended length
See all 134 pharmacy abbreviations →
More university abbreviations
- UCSC – University of California, Santa Cruz
- UCSD – University of California San Diego
- UCSF – University of California, San Francisco
- UCT – University of Cape Town
- UF – University of Florida
- UGA – University of Georgia
- UH – University of Hawaii at Manoa
- UIC – University of Illinois Chicago
See all 135 university abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.