doctor

1 of 2

noun

doc·​tor ˈdäk-tər 

1

a

: a person skilled or specializing in healing arts

especially : someone (such as a physician, dentist, or veterinarian) who holds an advanced degree and is licensed to practice

an eye doctor

doctors' bills

See your doctor if the condition worsens.

b

: medicine man

2

a

Christianity : an eminent theologian declared a sound expounder of doctrine by the Roman Catholic Church

called also doctor of the church

b

: a learned or authoritative teacher

c

: a person who has earned one of the highest academic degrees (such as a PhD) conferred by a university

Most of the college's faculty members are doctors in their fields.

The class is being taught by Doctor Menzer.

d

: a person awarded an honorary doctorate (such as an LLD or DBA) by a college or university

3

a

: material added (as to food) to produce a desired effect

b

: a blade (as of metal) for spreading a coating or scraping a surface

4

: a person who restores, repairs, or fine-tunes things

doctoral

ˈdäk-t(ə-)rəl 

adjective

doctorless

ˈdäk-tər-ləs 

adjective

doctorship

ˈdäk-tər-ˌship 

noun

Usage of Doctor

Doctor's appointment is much more common than doctor appointment, despite the fact that doctor's appointment seems to suggest that the appointment belongs to the doctor rather than to the patient. The more popular form is, however, grammatical; the {apos}s in doctor's appointment is showing not possession, but association. Just as a belt's buckle is not owned by the belt but associated with it, so too is a doctor's appointment an appointment that is associated with a doctor, rather than owned by one. Doctor appointment is also grammatical: in that form, doctor is simply modifying appointment as a descriptor, just as belt modifies buckle in belt buckle.

doctor

2 of 2

verb

doctored; doctoring ˈdäk-t(ə-)riŋ 

transitive verb

1

a

: to give medical treatment to

doctored her ailing husband

b

: to restore to good condition : repair

doctor an old clock

2

a

: to adapt or modify for a desired end by alteration or special treatment

doctored the play to suit the audience

The drink was doctored.

b

: to alter deceptively

accused of doctoring the election returns

The pitcher tried to cheat by doctoring the baseball.

intransitive verb

1

: to practice medicine

a career doctoring in the country

2

dialect : to take medicine

Synonyms of doctor

Noun

• physician

Verb

• treat

Examples of doctor in a Sentence

Noun

He needed medicine but refused to go to a doctor.

She was under doctor's orders not to return to work.

I saw her at the doctor's last week.

How long will you be at the doctor?

Most of the faculty members at this college are doctors in their fields.

Dr. Smith, can you explain the exam requirements again?

Verb

They were accused of doctoring the company's financial records.

a doctored photo of the actress

I think somebody doctored the punch.

He had time to doctor his wounds.

She doctored the sick child until the physician arrived.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Fortunately, doctors have cleared her to return to the competition. —Bebe Hodges, Cincinnati Enquirer, 29 Oct. 2025

Succession star Sarah Snook steps into the shoes of a fertility doctor and single mother in this 2023 psychological horror. —Emy Lacroix, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025

Verb

Just as Tamra could have leaked this information and doctored those images, couldn’t Gretchen and Slade have gotten someone to text everyone and blame this all on Tamra? —Brian Moylan, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025

Health savings accounts, or HSAs, let those with high-deductible health plans set aside pre-tax money for medical expenses — from Advil and X-rays to doctor’s visits. —Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 22 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English doctour teacher, doctor, from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin doctor, from Latin, teacher, from docēre to teach — more at docile

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2b

Verb

1712, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing doctor

• doctor of medicine
• doctor of osteopathic medicine
• doctor of osteopathy
• doctor of philosophy
• family doctor
• herb doctor
• just what the doctor ordered
• snake doctor
• spin doctor
• the doctor
• the doctor's
• under a doctor's care
• witch doctor

Rhymes for doctor

• auctor
• proctor

Kids Definition

doctor

1 of 2 noun

doc·​tor ˈdäk-tər 

1

: a person holding one of the highest degrees (as a PhD) given by a university

2

: a person (as a physician, dentist, or veterinarian) skilled and specializing in the art of healing

doctoral

-t(ə-)rəl 

adjective

doctor

2 of 2 verb

doctored; doctoring -t(ə-)riŋ 

1

a

: to give medical treatment to

b

: to practice medicine

c

: to bring back to good condition : repair

doctor an old clock

2

: to tamper with

doctored the video footage

Etymology

Noun

Middle English doctour "doctor, teacher," from early French doctour and Latin doctor (both, same meaning), from earlier Latin doctor "teacher," from docēre "to teach" — related to docile, doctrine

Medical Definition

doctor

1 of 2 noun

doc·​tor ˈdäk-tər 

1

: a person skilled or specializing in healing arts

especially : one (as a physician, dentist, or veterinarian) who holds an advanced degree and is licensed to practice

2

a

: a person who has earned one of the highest academic degrees (as a PhD) conferred by a university

b

: a person awarded an honorary doctorate by a college or university

doctor

2 of 2 verb

doctored; doctoring -t(ə-)riŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to give medical treatment to

2

: castrate sense 1, spay

have your pet cat doctored

intransitive verb

: to practice medicine