optician

noun

op·​ti·​cian äp-ˈti-shən How to pronounce optician (audio)
1
: a maker of or dealer in optical items and instruments
2
: a person who reads prescriptions for visual correction, orders lenses, and dispenses eyeglasses and contact lenses compare ophthalmologist, optometrist

Examples of optician in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
As demand grows, opticians are retiring at a faster rate than roles are being replaced, contributing to a shortfall of workers. Casey Mann, Arkansas Online, 1 July 2026 Beyond manufacturing, The Yard includes a design studio, a bespoke consultation room for custom frame commissions, a training academy for opticians and makers, and a growing archive of historic spectacles spanning more than two centuries. Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 25 June 2026 The real estate at Sojourner Place at Park was once a set of cheek-by-jowl city businesses chiefly occupied by small merchants, including jewelers and opticians. Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 20 June 2026 These frames are sold with temporary lenses, allowing opticians to fit custom prescriptions. David Phelan, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for optician

Word History

First Known Use

1737, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of optician was in 1737

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Cite this Entry

“Optician.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/optician. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

optician

noun
op·​ti·​cian äp-ˈtish-ən How to pronounce optician (audio)
1
: a maker of or dealer in optical items and instruments
2
: a person who reads prescriptions for correction of vision, orders, prepares, and sometimes grinds lenses for eyeglasses, sells eyeglasses and contact lenses, and fits and adjusts eyeglasses compare ophthalmologist, optometrist

Medical Definition

optician

noun
op·​ti·​cian äp-ˈtish-ən How to pronounce optician (audio)
1
: a maker of or dealer in optical items and instruments
2
: a person who reads prescriptions for visual correction, orders lenses, and dispenses eyeglasses and contact lenses compare ophthalmologist, optometrist

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