dermatologist

American  

[dur-muh-tol-uh-jist] / ˌdɜr məˈtɒl ə dʒɪst /

noun

1. a specialist in dermatology, especially a doctor who specializes in the treatment of diseases of the skin.

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Etymology

Origin of dermatologist

First recorded in 1860–65; dermatolog(y) + -ist

Explanation

The person who examines your moles, acne, and other skin problems is called a dermatologist. Once visited mainly for acne problems, dermatologists have become more important, as skin problems have grown more common with our increased exposure to the sun. You know that an "-logy" at the end of a word means "study" and that "-logist" means "one who studies. In the noun dermatologist, the object being studied is the derma, the Greek word for "skin." (The Greeks also used it to refer to "leather" or "hide," which still works for diehard sun worshipers. And think of elephants being called "pachyderms," with their "thick skin.") Dermatology and dermatologist both appeared in English in the 19th century.

Example Sentences

One dermatologist was so incensed by my article he told me it had left him with a "feeling of absolute dread and trepidation" about how he was going to manage his Monday morning clinic.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

“Some of those fixed dramatic horizontal lines do become worse because people are literally spending hours on their phone and looking down,” said Dr. Melanie Palm, a cosmetic dermatologist based in Solana Beach, Calif.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

The eye mask improves delivery of the active ingredients to the skin, says double board-certified dermatologist Elizabeth Bahar Houshmand.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

Farah Moustafa, MD, an assistant professor at Tufts University School of Medicine and a dermatologist with Tufts Medical Center, explains that collagen supplements are not a proven solution for skin aging.

From Science Daily • Jan. 29, 2026

We could trade war stories about our latest dermatologist visits and new favorite products.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi