acupuncturist
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of acupuncturist
First recorded in 1950–55; acupuncture + -ist
Explanation
An acupuncturist is an expert who treats health conditions by gently inserting tiny needles into a patient's skin. Sometimes people seek help from an acupuncturist in addition to medical treatment. The idea of visiting a provider with puncture in their title may understandably strike you as terrifying! But trained acupuncturists use needles that are so small that they don't hurt at all. And while science hasn't proven that this kind of treatment works to cure diseases or ease pain, many people report finding relief from various conditions after working with an acupuncturist.
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.
In production hubs like Los Angeles, the economic pain that has followed is apparent to everyone, including Kamlager-Dove’s acupuncturist.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 30, 2026
She began to re-evaluate her lifestyle and after an acupuncturist suggested she shake up her diet, it dawned on Vicky she was eating next to no fibre.
From BBC ● Jan. 16, 2026
My acupuncturist, who I love, her name is Sau Sum and she’s at Dear Song Acupuncture in Pasadena.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 21, 2025
I have been turning all of this over in my head for weeks, arguing about it with my editor and my friends and, one day, my acupuncturist.
From New York Times ● Jan. 24, 2024
“Come in, come in,” the acupuncturist says with a wave.
From "A Mango-Shaped Space" by Wendy Mass
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.
