podiatrist
Americannoun
Usage
What does podiatrist mean? A podiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in treating the feet. Podiatrists undergo specialized training to diagnose and treat issues with the foot, as well as connecting areas such as the ankle. They are sometimes called podiatric physicians or, when qualified to perform surgery for such problems, foot and ankle surgeons. Example: I have an appointment with the podiatrist because my ankle doesn’t seem to be healing properly.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of podiatrist
First recorded in 1910–15; podiatr(y) + -ist
Explanation
A podiatrist is a foot doctor. Got a bunion? A hammer toe? Call the podiatrist. The word podiatrist is composed of two ancient Greek parts: pod, meaning "foot," and iatrist, meaning "healer." Other kinds of doctors have a similar suffix: think psychiatrist — a doctor of the mind. The pod prefix and suffix is used to name a number of things. For example, a camera tripod has three "feet." Pea pods and iPods? Nothing to do with feet!
Vocabulary lists containing podiatrist
Body Language: Ped, Pod ("Foot")
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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.
See Examples For:
And when it told me my blisters were so bad I should consult a medical professional, I limped all the way to my local podiatrist.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2025
She previously had little option but to wear special shoes, designed for her by a podiatrist, which gave her right leg a bigger platform.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2025
I chauffeured Wally to the grocery store or to the podiatrist for his favorite indulgence: monthly pedicures.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 7, 2024
Her podiatrist did all of that, but the wound just kept getting worse.
From Slate ● Feb. 25, 2024
"I think I can squeeze you in," Hoo said, leading the podiatrist through the empty restaurant.
From "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin
Providers are defined as anyone in a long list that includes, in addition to physicians, naturopaths, chiropractors, podiatrists, pharmacists, nurses, and midwives—as long as their “scope of practice includes stem cell therapy.”
From Science Magazine ● Mar. 31, 2024
Where medical pedicures are for people with foot conditions and are carried out by podiatrists or registered nurses, therapeutic pedicures take a gentler approach.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2022
“It’s much more run-of-the-mill: podiatrists, chiropractors, and naturopaths have moved into this space.”
From The Verge ● Nov. 4, 2021
Alongside locum doctors, GP practices will be able to use it to recruit other temporary staff such as physios and podiatrists.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2021
In its overachieving way, it is also responsible for increases in anxiety and depression, teeth-grinding, anger, sleeplessness, migraines and another physical ailment being noted by orthopedists and podiatrists:
From Washington Post ● Jan. 11, 2021
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.
