chiropractor

American  

[kahy-ruh-prak-ter] / ˈkaɪ rəˌpræk tər /

noun

1. one whose occupation is the practice of chiropractic.

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Etymology

Origin of chiropractor

First recorded in 1900–05; chiropract(ic) + -or ², as if a Latin noun with -tor

Explanation

Got an aching back? You might want to visit a chiropractor, a health care provider who specializes in the alignment of the spine. Chiropractors, though they provide health care, are not medical doctors; they are licensed by the state and have a Doctor of Chiropractic degree. Many people consider chiropractic care to be pseudoscience, since its effectiveness hasn't been scientifically confirmed. Others believe it's useful alternative medicine. The word chiropractor has roots meaning "hand" and "practical," or "done by hand." A chiropractor treats patients in part by physically manipulating their spines.

Example Sentences

Oregon chiropractor Joshua Wolfram paid $950 for a cabana for his extended family of nine on the family beach.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026

In Toronto, Carrillo works with an athletic trainer, a psychologist, a chiropractor and a masseur.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 2, 2026

Betancur, the chiropractor, had been in repayment for over two decades at that point, and hoped to get his loans forgiven.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 1, 2025

I decided to visit a chiropractor, a young slim man who tugged and turned and cracked my entire body.

From Salon • Dec. 13, 2024

“How can we be dangerous to the state? A poet, a chiropractor, and a high school senior?”

From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed