physician

American  

[fi-zish-uhn] / fɪˈzɪʃ ən /

noun

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

• physicianly adjective

Etymology

Origin of physician

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

Example Sentences

Ski team physician Kevin Stone said, “are not normal human beings.”

From The Wall Street Journal

How many years have you been seeing the same primary care physician?

From MarketWatch

David Compton, a 71-year old retired family physician, left his practice 10 years ago after having trouble concentrating.

From The Wall Street Journal

In recent years, demand spread through TikTok, Instagram, and word-of-mouth, often before patients ever saw a physician.

From The Wall Street Journal

Eager to protect their own profession, male practitioners—from physicians to male midwives—portrayed women as ignorant and sure to do harm or, conversely, possessed of “dangerous” knowledge.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• doctor
• specialist
• surgeon