dermatologist
Americannoun
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.
Vocabulary lists containing dermatologist
Body Language: Derm ("Skin")
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carn (flesh), derm (skin), dent (tooth), os (bone)
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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.
“When people ask me about under-eye bags and puffiness, one of the first things I tell them is to decrease the amount of sodium in their dietary intake,” says L.A.-based dermatologist Ivy Lee.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026
As Mr. Sasse prepares to leave to see his dermatologist about his bleeding lips, I ask why he chose to die in such a public way.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 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
Amber did some research herself and when she came across cold urticaria, she was referred to a dermatologist.
From BBC • Jan. 19, 2026
So I fall back on the support networks of my real-life social class, call the dermatologist I know in Key West, and bludgeon him into prescribing something sight unseen.
From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
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.
