physician

American  

[fi-zish-uhn] / fɪˈzɪʃ ən /

noun

physicians plural

1. a person who is legally qualified to practice medicine; doctor of medicine.

2. a person engaged in general medical practice, as distinguished from one specializing in surgery.

3. a person who is skilled in the art of healing.

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physician British  

/ fɪˈzɪʃən /

noun

1. a person legally qualified to practise medicine, esp one specializing in areas of treatment other than surgery; doctor of medicine

2. archaic any person who treats diseases; healer

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• physicianly
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• physicians
  plural

Etymology

Origin of physician

1175–1225; physic + -ian ( see -ician); replacing Middle English fisicien < Old French

Explanation

A physician is a doctor. If you wake up and your eyes are red, your skin is yellow, and your tongue is swollen, find a physician, soon! When we use the word physician, we typically mean a doctor that practices general healing, as opposed to a surgeon. Physician is a very old word, coming from both Greek and Latin roots for physic, meaning "natural science and medicine."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

physician physicians

However, the researchers advised people to speak with a registered dietitian nutritionist or physician for personalized guidance before making dietary changes.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 1, 2026

Besigye, a former personal physician to Museveni, has been in the government's crosshairs since he joined the opposition more than 25 years ago.

From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026

Replacing this funding would require a renewed effort toward recruiting physician members.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

Tyler Evans, a health physician and the co-founder of the Wellness Equity Alliance, said the system is only as good as the doctors who are willing to ask patients questions.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 18, 2026

The kouros, the records stated, had been in the private collection of a Swiss physician named Lauffenberger since the 1930s, and he in turn had acquired it from a well-known Greek art dealer named Roussos.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

While FDA staffers downplayed this benefit, one oncologist at the advisory committee hearing pointedly noted that most physicians consider a 30% response rate in metastatic patients whose cancer worsened on other treatments to be significant.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

Since the theory was introduced, some physicians, including pediatricians, have treated the pattern as a meaningful warning sign that might be prevented or modified through diet and lifestyle changes.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 31, 2026

The physicians and health experts behind the report argue that lowering sodium may have a greater effect when it is paired with increased potassium intake.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 31, 2026

It’s pretty indicative of the breakdown of trust between physicians and families.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

As Karl Johnson explained to me, “I’ve seen young physicians run from these hemorrhagic viruses, literally. They’re unable to work in the middle of an outbreak. They refuse to get off the plane.”

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

Related Words

• doctor
• specialist
• surgeon