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

The findings suggest that physicians should consider elevated cortisol as a possible cause of resistant hypertension and screen patients who are at higher risk.

From Science Daily

From admission to graduation, and through residency training and medical licensing, physician standards are comprehensive, demanding and as strong as ever.

From The Wall Street Journal

"It's very frustrating for the physician who oftentimes is compromised in what they're able to do, and it's frustrating for the patients."

From BBC

As a result, Garfield’s treating physicians saw no problem with probing the president’s wound with unsterilized hands and tools.

From The Wall Street Journal

Spain is one of a handful of European countries, including the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, that have passed laws allowing euthanasia to be carried out by physicians.

From BBC

Related Words

• doctor
• specialist
• surgeon