psychiatrist
Americannoun
-
psychiatrists
plural
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of psychiatrist
First recorded in 1885–90; psychiatr(y) + -ist
Compare meaning
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Body Language: Psych ("Mind")
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Twelve Angry Men
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Mr. Peterson was succeeded as chancellor last year by the psychiatrist Iain McGilchrist.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
He earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and initially planned a career as a psychiatrist.
From Barron's ● Oct. 26, 2026
That is exactly what Hegemann, Nagel and the third Nobel-prize winner, Karl Deisseroth, a psychiatrist and bioengineer at Stanford University in California, went on to do.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 19, 2026
US President Donald Trump has called off plans to livestream the execution of former US army psychiatrist Nidal Hasan by firing squad.
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
What would your psychiatrist say if I told him that I shouted for joy when I read that this had happened?
From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan
There’s a lack of programs — we need more therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists and doctors who are versed in helping people who are deaf.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
The symptoms of FTD speak directly to questions of consciousness that have been investigated and debated by neurologists and psychiatrists for more than a century, and by philosophers for far longer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
Anna Vigars KC, prosecuting, told the court earlier that two psychiatrists had prepared reports which had made the reduced pleas available.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
Several psychiatrists diagnosed Coronado with postpartum psychosis and, like Clancy, she had the support of her husband and family.
From Salon ● Sep. 2, 2026
What were the psychiatrists of Walter Reed to do with such a man?
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
