therapist

noun

ther·​a·​pist ˈther-ə-pist 

1

: an individual specializing in the therapeutic medical treatment of impairment, injury, disease, or disorder

especially : a health care professional trained in methods of treatment and rehabilitation other than the use of drugs or surgery

These simple range-of-motion exercises are often prescribed by physical, occupational, or hand therapists for people with hand OA [=osteoarthritis].

—Food & Fitness Advisor

To help the baby interact with his family, a speech therapist taught everyone—including Justin's twin brother, Jeffery—hand signals and games.

—Michele Blecher

2

: a practitioner of psychotherapy : a psychotherapist

Again, it is important for the therapist to recognize that regression is normative due to the extreme stress of separation and divorce.

—Nathan W. Turner

Examples of therapist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Things like turkey, eggs, dairy, nuts, and seeds all provide the building blocks for better sleep, Esra Soylucicek, a nutritional therapist at Reborne Longevity, explains. —Hannah Coates, Vogue, 19 Mar. 2026

However, its writing process involved putting the script in front of actual child therapists to ensure its verisimilitude, so rare are the moments (if any) when Wang’s performance doesn’t feel rooted in the familiar. —Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026

About 2,400 mental health therapists are on strike in the Bay Area, Sacramento and the Central Valley over Kaiser’s use of artificial intelligence, the National Union of Healthcare Workers said in a news release. —Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2026

Batson, the son of an Apple software engineer, grew up in the South Bay and until recently lived in a co-op with a social worker, a speech therapist, and a union organizer. —Joe Hagan, Vanity Fair, 18 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1880, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing therapist

• behavioral therapist
• massage therapist
• physical therapist

Rhymes for therapist

• physiotherapist
• psychotherapist

Kids Definition

therapist

noun

ther·​a·​pist ˈther-ə-pəst 

: a person who specializes in therapy

especially : a person trained in methods of treatment other than the use of drugs or surgery

a speech therapist

Medical Definition

therapist

noun

ther·​a·​pist ˈther-ə-pəst 

: a person specializing in therapy

especially : one trained in methods of treatment and rehabilitation other than the use of drugs or surgery