doctorate

noun

doc·​tor·​ate ˈdäk-t(ə-)rət How to pronounce doctorate (audio)
: the degree, title, or rank of a doctor

Examples of doctorate 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.
Langer developed his love for science while studying chemical engineering at Cornell University, later obtaining his doctorate at MIT in 1974. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026 Overton is a physician who holds a doctorate from Johns Hopkins University. — Arthur Jones Ii, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026 Seijas, who is forty-one, got her doctorate at Harvard and has lived in seven cities. — Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026 After receiving a doctorate at the University of Kent in England, Araghchi joined the Iranian Foreign Ministry, and over the past 20 years has been a member of Iranian delegations on nuclear issues. — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for doctorate

Word History

First Known Use

1570, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of doctorate was in 1570

Browse Nearby Words

doctorand
doctorate
doctorbird
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Doctorate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doctorate. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

doctorate

noun
doc·​tor·​ate ˈdäk-t(ə-)rət How to pronounce doctorate (audio)
: the degree, title, or rank of a doctor

More from Merriam-Webster on doctorate

Nglish: Translation of doctorate for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of prowess

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All