ophthalmologist
Americannoun
noun
Synonym Usage
See eye doctor.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of ophthalmologist
First recorded in 1825–35; ophthalmo- + -log(y) + -ist
Explanation
If you can't see the board from your desk, it might be time to visit an ophthalmologist, or eye doctor, to see if you need glasses. An ophthalmologist is a doctor whose specialty is diseases and conditions of the eyes, especially things that relate to vision. She's the doctor who examines your eyes and writes the prescription for your contact lenses. The Greek root word is ophthalmos, which means "eye." Ophthalmologist is a tricky word to spell, particularly because many people tend to skip both the "ph" and the first "l" when they pronounce it.
Vocabulary lists containing ophthalmologist
Common Senses: Op, Ops, Opt ("Sight")
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Occupations
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Words with 15 or More Letters, List 4
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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.
"Swollen MicroShunts can be structurally fragile," said ophthalmologist and Assistant Professor Ryo Tomita of Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, the study's first author.
From Science Daily • Jan. 16, 2026
A walking lifestyle, preparing healthy meals at home and getting plenty of rest limit our doctor visits to annual physicals and periodic checkups at the dentist, dermatologist and ophthalmologist.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 2, 2026
Professor Dame Carrie MacEwen, chairwoman of the GMC and a consultant ophthalmologist, said the demographics of the medical workforce are "rapidly changing, and that diversity will benefit patients".
From BBC • Mar. 6, 2025
Instead, I call my ophthalmologist, a woman I’ve seen so many times I probably fund a fraction of her vacation house.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 30, 2024
Yesterday all anyone here could talk about was Anne’s eyes, because Mother had suggested I go to the ophthalmologist with Mrs. Kleiman.
From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
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.
