immediate-release
|im-medi-ate-re-lease|
🇺🇸
/ɪˈmiːdiət rɪˈliːs/
🇬🇧
/ɪˈmiːdɪət rɪˈliːs/
releases immediately
Etymology
'immediate-release' originates from modern English, formed by combining the adjective 'immediate' and the noun/verb 'release' to denote a formulation that releases immediately.
'immediate' comes from Latin 'immediatus' (in- 'not' + medius 'middle') via Old French and Middle English; 'release' comes from Old French forms (e.g. 'releser'/'relaisser') ultimately from Latin roots such as 'relaxare' meaning 'to loosen'. The compound usage 'immediate-release' developed in 20th-century pharmaceutical English to contrast with terms like 'extended-release'.
Individually, 'immediate' originally meant 'not separated by anything' and 'release' meant 'to loosen or set free'; combined in modern pharmaceutical usage the term specifically means 'to let the active ingredient become available right away', a specialized shift from the general senses.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an immediate-release formulation or product that releases drug substance immediately after administration.
The pharmacist dispensed an immediate-release of the medication rather than the extended-release version.
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Adjective 1
describing a drug formulation that releases its active ingredient quickly after administration (not extended- or delayed-release).
The physician prescribed an immediate-release tablet to manage acute pain.
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Last updated: 2025/08/31 03:41