physical therapist

noun

plural physical therapists

: a person licensed to practice physical therapy : a health care professional who provides therapy to preserve, enhance, or restore movement and physical function that are impaired or threatened by disease, injury, or disability

… a physical therapist can show you exercises to maintain strength and movement in the affected area and may also use transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation …

—Self Healing

While activity may worsen pain, activity directed by physical therapists, which may be done in therapy sessions and sometimes at home, provides some relief.

—Schenectady (New York) Daily Gazette

—abbreviation PT

called also physiotherapist

Examples of physical therapist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Mark Van Riper, a physical therapist at Kaiser’s Antioch Medical Center, estimated the starting salary for a Kaiser physical therapist at about $100,000 a year. —Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2026

Lindsay Haycraft is a former professional kickboxer and physical therapist, who is teaching kickboxing to Parkinson's patients at this Louisville gym. —Ray Padilla, Louisville Courier Journal, 27 Jan. 2026

Melton’s character, Austin, is a former athlete and aspiring physical therapist who has a bit of a himbo vibe, but his heart is in the right place—at the start of the series, anyway. —Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 21 Jan. 2026

Other of these above-average pay, salary growth-rich jobs with remote flexibility include nurse practitioners, physical therapists, and licensed clinical social workers. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 20 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for physical therapist

• physiotherapist
• psychotherapist

Kids Definition

physical therapist

noun

: a person who is a specialist in physical therapy

Medical Definition

physical therapist

noun

: a person licensed to practice physical therapy : a health care professional who provides therapy to preserve, enhance, or restore movement and physical function that are impaired or threatened by disease, injury, or disability

—abbreviation PT

called also physiotherapist