oculist
Americannoun
Synonym Usage
See eye doctor.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of oculist
First recorded in 1590–1600; French oculiste; see ocul-, -ist
Explanation
People who lived in previous centuries who had trouble seeing street signs, reading small print, or suddenly had horrible eye pain, would have visited an oculist. This was a doctor who dealt with eye disorders. The root word, oculus, is Latin for “eye.” Oculist is actually a rather out-dated and old-fashioned term. Now, the more popular names for these kinds of doctors are ophthalmologist and optometrist. Ophthalmologists deal with more serious problems and diseases. Optometrists address less serious issues, perform vision tests, and prescribe corrective lenses.
Vocabulary lists containing oculist
The Great Gatsby
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The Miracle Worker
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Some Latin-based Words
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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.
An oculist, if he is attentive, may recognize the tumor when it is no bigger than a pin head.
From Time Magazine Archive
He used to sell them to thrifty persons who, consulting neither oculist nor optician, sought to remedy faulty vision with selections from Kresge counters.
From Time Magazine Archive
Forced to resign because of poor health, he researched in eye diseases, gained fame as an oculist.
From Time Magazine Archive
Died, Austin O'Malley, M. D., 73, scientist, oculist, author, brother of Writer Frank Ward O'Malley; of arteriosclerosis after a lingering illness; in Philadelphia.
From Time Magazine Archive
"If it should, maybe you'll recommend me to your oculist," I said, "then I may not-see myself as others see-me-not."
From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison
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.
