psychiatrist
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of psychiatrist
First recorded in 1885–90; psychiatr(y) + -ist
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How does psychiatrist compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A psychiatrist is a doctor who specializes in emotional, behavioral, or mental disorders. Sigmund Freud is the founder of the field of psychiatry, pioneering psychoanalytic treatment. The noun psychiatrist has Greek roots in psykhe, meaning mind, and iatreia, meaning healing, so the word psychiatrist is literally one who heals the mind. As opposed to a psychologist, who also offers psychotherapy, a psychiatrist is a medical doctor and, as such, can prescribe medication for things like depression and anxiety.
Vocabulary lists containing psychiatrist
100 Great Words from "Fahrenheit 451" -- Part I Vocabulary
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Body Language: Psych ("Mind")
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"How Smart Are Animals?" Vocabulary from the science article
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Appeared in the February 7, 2026, print edition as 'The Psychiatrist to the ‘Underclass’'.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026
Psychiatrist Jessi Gold is worried for her—and shares some thoughts about what she might have to deal with next.
From Slate • Oct. 23, 2023
A second assessment, which included a third psychiatrist appointed by the Jerusalem District Psychiatrist, also concluded that Leifer was feigning mental illness.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 28, 2023
Psychiatrist Dr. Sara Gibson has used telehealth for decades in rural Apache County, Arizona.
From Salon • Feb. 1, 2023
Psychiatrist Dr. Jay Shurley felt those tests were inadequate to test for true sensory deprivation.
From "Women in Space" by Karen Bush Gibson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
