doctor

Definition

A physician; a member of the medical profession; one who is trained and licensed to heal the sick or injured. The final examination and qualification may award a doctor degree in which case the post-nominal letters are DO, DPM, MD, DMD, or DDS in the US, or MBBS or BDS in the UK.

Etymology

From Middle English doctor, doctour (“an expert, authority on a subject”), from Anglo-Norman doctour, from Latin doctor (“teacher”), from doceō (“to teach”). Displaced native Middle English lerare (“doctor, teacher”) (from Middle English leren (“to teach, instruct”) from Old English lǣran, lēran (“to teach, instruct, guide”), compare Old English lārēow (“teacher, master”)). Displaced Old English lǣċe (“doctor, physician”).

Example Sentences

• "If you still feel unwell tomorrow, see your doctor."
• "By medicine life may be prolonged, yet death / Will seize the doctor too."
• "So from that tyme forwarde I began to ſmell the word of god, and forſoke the ſchole doctors and ſuch foolries."

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