Dr. - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

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SKIP TO CONTENT Dr. /ˈdɑktər/ IPA guide Definitions of Dr.

noun a person who holds Ph.D. degree (or the equivalent) from an academic institution synonyms: doctor see moresee less type of: bookman, scholar, scholarly person, student a learned person (especially in the humanities); someone who by long study has gained mastery in one or more disciplines
noun a licensed medical practitioner synonyms: MD, doc, doctor, medico, physician see moresee less examples: show 28 examples... hide 28 examples... Abul-Walid Mohammed ibn-Ahmad Ibn-Mohammed ibn-Roshd Arabian philosopher born in Spain; wrote detailed commentaries on Aristotle that were admired by the Schoolmen (1126-1198) Abu Ali al-Husain ibn Abdallah ibn Sina Arabian physician and influential Islamic philosopher; his interpretation of Aristotle influenced St. Thomas Aquinas; writings on medicine were important for almost 500 years (980-1037) Robert Barany Austrian physician who developed a rotational method for testing the middle ear (1876-1936) Caspar Bartholin Danish physician who discovered Bartholin's gland (1585-1629) Sir David Bruce Australian physician and bacteriologist who described the bacterium that causes undulant fever or brucellosis (1855-1931) Burrill Bernard Crohn United States physician who specialized in diseases of the intestines; he was the first to describe regional ileitis which is now known as Crohn's disease (1884-1983) John L. H. Down English physician who first described Down's syndrome (1828-1896) Christiaan Eijkman Dutch physician who discovered that beriberi is caused by a nutritional deficiency (1858-1930) Etienne-Louis Arthur Fallot French physician who described cardiac anomalies including Fallot's tetralogy (1850-1911) William Gilbert English court physician noted for his studies of terrestrial magnetism (1540-1603) William Harvey English physician and scientist who described the circulation of the blood; he later proposed that all animals originate from an ovum produced by the female of the species (1578-1657) Thomas Hodgkin English physician who first described Hodgkin's disease (1798-1866) George Huntington United States physician who first described Huntington's chorea Aletta Jacobs Dutch physician who opened the first birth control clinic in the world in Amsterdam (1854-1929) Edward Jenner English physician who pioneered vaccination; Jenner inoculated people with small amounts of cowpox to prevent them from getting smallpox (1749-1823) Harry Fitch Kleinfelter United States physician who first described the XXY-syndrome (born in 1912) Clemence Sophia Harned Lozier United States physician who in 1863 founded a medical school for women (1813-1888) Sir Patrick Manson Scottish physician who discovered that elephantiasis is spread by mosquitos and suggested that mosquitos also spread malaria (1844-1922) Friedrich Anton Mesmer Austrian physician who tried to treat diseases with a form of hypnotism (1734-1815) Theophrastus Philippus Aureolus Bombastus von Hohenheim Swiss physician who introduced treatments of particular illnesses based on his observation and experience; he saw illness as having an external cause (rather than an imbalance of humors) and replaced traditional remedies with chemical remedies (1493-1541) Peter Mark Roget English physician who in retirement compiled a well-known thesaurus (1779-1869) Sir Ronald Ross British physician who discovered that mosquitos transmit malaria (1857-1932) Benjamin Rush physician and American Revolutionary leader; signer of the Declaration of Independence (1745-1813) Albert Schweitzer French philosopher and physician and organist who spent most of his life as a medical missionary in Gabon (1875-1965) Anna Howard Shaw United States physician and suffragist (1847-1919) Sir James Young Simpson Scottish obstetrician and surgeon who pioneered in the use of ether and discovered the anesthetic effects of chloroform (1811-1870) English Hippocrates English physician (1624-1689) Erik Adolf von Willebrand Finnish physician who first described vascular hemophilia (1870-1949) types: show 48 types... hide 48 types... abortionist a person (who should be a doctor) who terminates pregnancies allergist a physician skilled in the diagnosis and treatment of allergies angiologist a physician who specializes in angiology extern, medical extern a nonresident doctor or medical student; connected with a hospital but not living there gastroenterologist a physician who specializes in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract GP, general practitioner a physician who is not a specialist but treats all illnesses hakeem, hakim a Muslim physician house physician, resident, resident physician a physician (especially an intern) who lives in a hospital and cares for hospitalized patients under the supervision of the medical staff of the hospital houseman, intern, interne, medical intern an advanced student or graduate in medicine gaining supervised practical experience (`houseman' is a British term) primary care physician the physician who provides primary care quack an untrained person who pretends to be a physician and who dispenses medical advice medical specialist, specialist someone who practices one branch of medicine operating surgeon, sawbones, surgeon a physician who specializes in surgery vet, veterinarian, veterinary, veterinary surgeon a doctor who practices veterinary medicine amputator a surgeon who removes part or all of a limb anaesthetist, anesthesiologist, anesthetist a specialist who administers an anesthetic to a patient before he is treated baby doctor, paediatrician, pediatrician, pediatrist a specialist in the care of babies cardiologist, heart specialist, heart surgeon a specialist in cardiology; a specialist in the structure and function and disorders of the heart chiropodist, foot doctor, podiatrist a specialist in care for the feet cosmetic surgeon, plastic surgeon a surgeon who beautifies the body (especially the face) country doctor a doctor who practices in the country (rather than in a city) usually remote from a modern hospital dermatologist, skin doctor a doctor who specializes in the physiology and pathology of the skin diagnostician, pathologist a doctor who specializes in medical diagnosis diplomate medical specialist whose competence has been certified by a diploma granted by an appropriate professional group ear doctor, ear specialist, otologist a physician who specializes in the ear and its diseases embryologist a physician who specializes in embryology endocrinologist physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the endocrine system ENT man, ear-nose-and-throat doctor, otolaryngologist, otorhinolaryngologist, rhinolaryngologist a specialist in the disorders of the ear or nose or throat family doctor a general practitioner who treats all the family members geriatrician, gerontologist a specialist in gerontology gynaecologist, gynecologist, woman's doctor a specialist in gynecology haematologist, hematologist a doctor who specializes in diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs horse doctor a veterinarian who treats horses hygienist a medical specialist in hygiene internist a specialist in internal medicine brain doctor, neurologist a medical specialist in the nervous system and the disorders affecting it brain surgeon, neurosurgeon someone who does surgery on the nervous system (especially the brain) accoucheur, obstetrician a physician specializing in obstetrics oncologist a specialist in oncology eye doctor, oculist, ophthalmologist a medical doctor specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the eye orthopaedist, orthopedist a specialist in correcting deformities of the skeletal system (especially in children) orthoptist a specialist in orthoptics proctologist a doctor specializing in diseases of the rectum and anus head-shrinker, psychiatrist, shrink a physician who specializes in psychiatry radiographer a person who makes radiographs radiologist, radiotherapist a medical specialist who uses radioactive substances and X-rays in the treatment of disease rheumatologist a physician specializing in rheumatic diseases urologist a specialist in urology type of: medical man, medical practitioner someone who practices medicine

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Copy citation DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘Dr.'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback Word Family 2 million people are mastering new words. Master a word

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