psychiatrist

American  

[si-kahy-uh-trist, sahy-] / sɪˈkaɪ ə trɪst, saɪ- /

noun

• psychiatrists
  plural

1. a physician who practices psychiatry.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• psychiatrists
  plural

Etymology

Origin of psychiatrist

First recorded in 1885–90; psychiatr(y) + -ist

Compare meaning

How does psychiatrist compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• psychologist vs. psychiatrist

Explanation

A psychiatrist is a doctor who specializes in emotional, behavioral, or mental disorders. Sigmund Freud is the founder of the field of psychiatry, pioneering psychoanalytic treatment. The noun psychiatrist has Greek roots in psykhe, meaning mind, and iatreia, meaning healing, so the word psychiatrist is literally one who heals the mind. As opposed to a psychologist, who also offers psychotherapy, a psychiatrist is a medical doctor and, as such, can prescribe medication for things like depression and anxiety.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

psychiatrist psychiatrists

Lauren Stossel, a former psychiatrist at the jail who now sits on New York City's independent Board of Correction, has raised several concerns about the jail.

From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026

Nidal Hasan, a U.S.-born Muslim who worked at the base as a psychiatrist, was sentenced to death in 2013 by a jury of fellow officers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

Linton’s defense has centered on expert testimony from a neurologist and a psychiatrist who say Linton had a seizure before the crash.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

A few years ago, at a dinner party, I told a psychiatrist my story.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 30, 2026

“Do you think that I am insane? Do you suppose that some stupid psychiatrist could even attempt to fathom the workings of my psyche?”

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

There’s a lack of programs — we need more therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists and doctors who are versed in helping people who are deaf.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026

The symptoms of FTD speak directly to questions of consciousness that have been investigated and debated by neurologists and psychiatrists for more than a century, and by philosophers for far longer.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

ProPublica reported that in January, the department had around 500 fewer psychologists and psychiatrists than it had at the same time last year.

From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2026

Tan, who said alleged possessions are often accompanied by symptoms of psychosis, insisted Philippine psychiatrists were not seeking to "compete with the Catholic Church", but rather to bridge the gap between culture and science.

From Barron's ● Jul. 19, 2026

After the NIS, Shin told his story to counselors and psychiatrists at a government center for resettlement, then to human rights activists and fellow defectors, and then to the local and international news media.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden

Related Words

• clinician
• doctor
• psychoanalyst
• psychologist
• psychotherapist
• therapist