doctor

doc-tor · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    A person qualified to practice medicine.

  2. 2.

    A person who holds a doctoral degree.

  3. 3.

    (Informal) Used as a title or form of address for a physician.

  4. 4.

    To give medical treatment to someone.

  5. 5.

    To change or falsify something.

  6. 6.

    To add something harmful to food or drink.

Forms

plural: doctors

Related words

See also: medicine, nurse, physician
Synonyms: doc, medic, physician, practitioner

Etymology

From Latin doctor meaning "teacher," from docere meaning "to teach." Originally used for any learned person or teacher, the medical sense developed because medieval physicians were scholars. The title Doctor (Dr.) was first used for academics.